5 employees of phone shop held for cheating customers of Rs 17 lakh

CHENNAI: Five employees of a mobile phone showroom have been arrested for misusing the customers' documents to avail loans to the tune of Rs 17 lakh.

While the main accused, K Santhakumar (22) of Palavakkam, has been remanded in judicial custody, the police are questioning other suspects. Two of them have been identified as Naveen Priyan and Prakash.

They have been arrested based on a complaint lodged by Marcelin Joseph, a resident of Adyar and manager of the mobile phone showroom on RK

Mutt Road.

In his complaint, Marcelin stated the showroom has a loan section in which customers can apply for loans to buy mobile phones, laptops and two-wheelers.

"Santhakumar and others who were working in the loan section received documents from prospective customers to get them loans. When the loans were sanctioned and the money released, the accused would share it among themselves instead of handing it over to the customers. They used this modus operandi to cheat customers of Rs 17 lakh," read the complaint.