Youth pretend as Google's top official, swindles Rs 10 lakh over marriage proposal

Edappal: Police nabbed two men for allegedly swindling Rs 10 lakhs from a family in Malappuram over a marriage proposal. As per the case, one of the youth pretended as a top official of Google and fixed marriage  with the daughter of a teacher at Changaramkulam for swindling money from the family. 

A team of police under Tirur DySP VV Benny and Changaramkulam inspector Basheer Chirakkal arrested Kozhikode native Akshay (30) residing near YMCA cross road and his friend Aji (40) from Kollam in connection with the case. 

Police informed that the accused betrayed the family by claiming that he is a higher official in Google. The accused who is highly educated is fluent in English and other languages. Hence, the families who contact him after seeing the matrimonial ad fell prey to the financial fraud.

Last year, the family hosted a grand engagement ceremoney of the accused and the girl. It is learnt that he hired some artistes of cinema as his relatives during the function and soon gained the trust of the girl through phone calls. 

Later Akshay informed the girl’s family that his father had been hospitalised in critical condition. He also said that their financial condition has worsened for the time being. When the girl’s family extended help, he refused it initially and later swindled Rs 10 lakhs from them. The family realised the fraud eventually when Akshay’s attitude towards them changed. Soon the girl's parents enquired about his background and found that they were being cheated. 

They lodged a complaint at Changaramkulam police station, but Akshay and his acquaintances were absconded by then. As the accused changed their residence and mobile phones frequently, police could not spot them easily. The  police arrested the duo from Kolllam with the help of District Anti Narcotics Special Action Force  (DANSAF). 

Other frauds worth Rs 2.5 crore

Police informed that 15 cases had been reported against the accused in several police stations of Koratty, Vandoor, Nallalam, Wadakkanchery, Pandikkad, Kannur, Kottayam, Kidangoor, Kodungallur and Kollam crime branch. These cases were registered when he defrauded over Rs 2.5 crore from many people by claiming to arrange visas to different countries. 

The investigation team has obtained information regarding others who helped Akshay in his frauds. Akshay and his friend were nabbed after almost a year's probe under Tirur DANSAF. The accused were produced in court and remanded later.