Govt staff dupe 15 people of Rs 25L, held

Coimbatore: Two former district collectorate staff members have been arrested for duping at least 15 people of Rs 25 lakh, by promising them government jobs.
The city crime branch police identified the accused as VL Prabhu, 43, of K Vadamadurai near Thudiyalur, and S Suresh Babu, 49, of Ramanathapuram. Prabhu was working as a superintendent at the office of the public relationship officer (PRO) and Suresh Babu was the PRO’s car driver.
An investigation officer said the duo had collected around Rs 25 lakh from 15 people by promising them government jobs. “When they failed to deliver on their promises, the victims asked them to return the money. Meanwhile, Prabhu was transferred to Chennai and Suresh to Dharmapuri.”
The victims lodged a complaint with the city crime branch police, who registered a case against the duo. The preliminary inquiry revealed that the two had received money from the victims by promising them jobs with the public health department, city municipal corporation, education department, judiciary and the district collectorate.
The two were arrested on Monday and produced before a judicial magistrate, who remanded them in judicial custody. They were subsequently lodged in Avinashi sub-jail. tnn