Two CRPF men’s drama to rob notes falls flat

The Coimbatore district police arrested three persons from Chennai in this connection on Friday. The arrested duo serving the CRPF have been identified as S Subramaniyam (51) of Chetput and S Kathiravan (39) of Type II Recruit Training Centre Camp, in Avadi. The other arrested person was identified as S Mathiyalagan (46) of Kamalam Nagar, Near CRPF Quarters, Avadi. 

On competing 24 years of service in the CRPF, Mathiyalagan retired in May this year and worked at a private toll plaza as a guard at Red Hills. His friend Subramaniyam is serving at the CRPF for 31 years and Kathiravan is with the CRPF for 20 years. The duo is now with the CRPF unit at Avadi. Bala of Thoothukudi who works in a hotel in Coimbatore approached his friend Kathiravan, who spent his childhood in an orphanage in Thoothukudi, and offered new currencies for demonetised notes for 40 per cent commission. 

Kathiravan discussed it with his friends Subramaniyam – who in turn discussed it with P Tamilarasan councillor for Ward 3 in Chennai Corporation and Mathiyalagan. “Inquiry revealed that they first wanted to get some demonetised currencies exchanged. Later they decided to usurp the entire money by cheating the other side as well. Subramaniyam got the licensed gun of Mathiyalagan so that the gang could pretend to be police personnel and round up both parties when they tried to exchange money,” said RV Ramya Bharati, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Coimbatore District. 

Mathiyalagan did not come to Coimbatore but was promised a share of the loot. On December 23, the six- member gang comprising Tamilarasan, his driver, two henchmen and CRPF personnel started to Coimbatore by car and approached broker Bala. They decided to get the exchange done at Pattanam at the outskirts of the city. But Bala dodged and did not turn up. While five of them were waiting to meet Bala, Subramaniyam was ready with the pistol ready to play the role of a police officer, in mufti in a safari suit. 

“As the team did not turn up, he stopped a courier van and got a lift from B Karthikeyan (23) of Rathinapuri, in Coimbatore. Claiming to be an inspector he asked Karthikeyan to drive towards a destination and while getting down he misplaced the gun in the vehicle,” the SP said. 

On December 24 Karthikeyan was shocked to see the pistol while cleaning his van and handed it over to Sulur Police. Meanwhile, Mathiyalagan who realised that his pistol was missing lodged a complaint with the Chennai City Police. During the inquiry Mathiyalagan confessed to the crime. “He and the two CRPF personnel were arrested. Search is on for the councillor, his driver and two henchmen and the broker,” Ramya Bharati said. 

They have been booked under sections 399 (preparation for dacoity) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 25 (1B) (a) (possession or carrying fire arms or ammunition) and 25 (3)(i) (without informing the magistrate or officer in charge of the nearest police station of the intend sale or transfer of that firearm) of The Indian Arms Act 1959.