Kottayam: A woman who lost ₹50 lakh in an alleged iridium investment scam has accused the police of failing to arrest the suspect and later blocking her phone number when she questioned the inaction.

According to the complainant, a senior officer had instructed a subordinate to “arrest the accused when he reaches Kottayam tomorrow.” She said she kept the officer informed in real time as the Haripad-based suspect left his house and travelled towards Kottayam.

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However, the accused reportedly passed in front of the police station and returned to Haripad without getting caught. When the woman visited the station the next day and informed the senior officer, he allegedly reprimanded the subordinate for not making the arrest. The officer then blocked the complainant’s phone number, she said, and has since not responded to her calls.

The incident was reported at the Kottayam West police station. The woman is among the victims of an alleged iridium fraud in which more than 200 people in the district are said to have lost over ₹200 crore.

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Police had earlier registered a case against the accused based on her statement. She had approached officers seeking help to arrest him when he appeared in the area for a court-directed settlement discussion at the District Legal Services Authority office in connection with a similar complaint from an Ettumanoor resident.

The Haripad native allegedly collected ₹30 lakh in multiple instalments and 20 sovereigns of gold from the complainant. Victims were promised ₹1 crore in return for every ₹1 lakh invested.

She said she is unsure who to approach for help now and hopes the accused will be arrested when he comes to the area again on Saturday for the rescheduled settlement talks.