Cheat from Kerala held in city

A 34-year-old man from Kerala was arrested on Friday for allegedly cheating several money exchangers to the tune of Rs 1 crore.

A 34-year-old man from Kerala was arrested on Friday for allegedly cheating several money exchangers to the tune of Rs 1 crore.

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According to police, Manikandan Pillai, a resident of Kochi, was arrested by the Crime Branch from north Delhi’s Chandni Chowk area and $24,000 (around Rs 11 lakh), three mobile phones, six SIM cards of various mobile service providers, a forged driving licence, two forged PAN cards and visiting cards were recovered from his procession.

“He used to prepare documents such as driving licence and PAN card with fake names and pose as a representative from a reputed company,” said a senior police officer.

Pillai would then reportedly select a city and lodge himself at a room in a luxury hotel.

“After checking in, he would search for money exchangers in the city and invite them over to the hotel,” the officer said.

Pillai allegedly used to meet his target in the lobby or meeting room of the hotel and would ask him to hand over the foreign currency to him so that he may check the same.

“After taking the money, Pillai would ask the moneychanger to wait for him in the room or the hotel’s lobby while he fled on the pretext of getting his passport,” the officer said.

Police said Pillai would then get in a taxi – which he would arrange in advance and flee the hotel and destroy the SIM card that he had used to contact the said moneychanger.