The Salem district crime branch police on Saturday arrested an accomplice of former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s personal assistant in connection with a job scam.

According to police, G Mani, 50, the personal assistant of AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami and his accomplice K Selvakumar, 49 from Semmandapatty took Rs 17 lakhs from G Tamilselvan, from Neyveli promising him the job of assistant engineer in the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC). Police said Selvakumar had brokered the deal. As the duo delayed in getting him the job, Tamilselvan asked the duo to return the money. However, they refused and also threatened him.

Tamilselvan lodged a complaint and the police registered a case. Though Mani was arrested at Omalur, elusive Selvakumar was arrested in Kondalampatti in the early hours of Saturday.

Police said that an investigation probe is underway into complaints given by around 25 persons alleging that they were duped of Rs 1.17 crore by the duo while promising government jobs.