Fraud worth Rs 1.53 crore averted in Chennai

Chennai: Chennai-based Broad Line Computer Systems came close to being another victim of a major fraud in Chennai. A man who fraudulently purchased computers and laptops worth Rs 1.53 crore from Broad Line Computer Systems was arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the city police on Saturday. A total of 250 desktops, 153 laptops, a sum of Rs 72,000 and a car he had brought by illegally selling 56 laptops were confiscated from the accused.

Police said that the accused, Saravanan (32), owner of Wescos Properties and Developers in T Nagar, claimed he was a representative of Madha Engineering College in Mannamadurai and placed an order for about 250 desktops and 300 laptops worth Rs 1.53 crore with Broad Line Computer System on April 4.

The police informed that the accused got the stocks delivered twice in godown near the college after alleging that the computers would be taken from there and installed after the construction work in the college was over. The company grew suspicious after Saravanan kept evading payments. When they sent their representatives they found they had been cheated by Saravanan.

“Identifying himself as S Shankar, Saravanan placed a bulk order and asked for the goods to be delivered at the college in Mannamadurai. We delivered 250 desktops on April 28 and 209 laptops on April 30 through the Madurai branch of Redington. We grew suspicious when he kept delaying the payments and wasn't giving any proper response. When we checked with the college authorities, we found that we had been cheated,” said J Ravindran, Administration Manager, Broad Line Systems.

Ravindran lodged a complaint with K Radhakrishnan, Assistant Commissioner of Police at the Police Commissionerate in Egmore on May 8 and the case was taken up by a CCB team. The police apprehended Saravanan within 24 hours and he confessed to having committed the crime. They recovered the hidden materials from two places in Chennai. After inquiries it was revealed that the accused had also cheated a mobile phone showroom in Chennai for nearly Rs 40 lakh and was facing the trial for the case.

Radhakrishnan lauded the efforts of the team involved in nabbing the culprit with 24 hours.