MADURAI: More than four years after they went out of currency, Rs 1,000 notes with a face value of Rs 4.8 crore were seized by the Sivaganga police from a physiotherapist near Kalayarkovil on Monday.
The physiotherapist, A Arul Chinnapparaj, 41, told police that he had got the demonetized notes from S Varalakshmi who was running an old age home at Chengalpattu.
Both have been detained. Varalakshmi told police that this was money she had saved up from donations from people and NGOs to construct a building. She said Arul had promised to help her exchange the notes for commission. Sivaganga SP M Rajarajan said the claims made by both the accused are being verified. He said prima facie it appeared that a gang in Chennai had promised to pay them Rs 15 lakh for every Rs 1 crore of demonetized currency. Police are probing if the gang was part of a larger cheating racket.
The physiotherapist had recently returned home to Melavalayampatti from Bengaluru where he had been employed. He and Varalakshmi came in touch recently as she had been trying to exchange the money for a while now.
Police sources said that they got a tip-off about the demonetised money and conducted a search of Arul’s house and found the notes. Further investigations are on.