A couple, Jaibalaji and Kalavathi, were arrested by Madurai City Police on Thursday on charges of cheating and criminal intimidation of a real-estate promotor, S. Seetharaman (72) in 2023.
Based on the complaint lodged in October 2025, Central Crime Branch of Madurai City Police arrested them and sent to judicial custody.
According to Seetharaman, Jaibalaji had called him over phone and asked him to allot two plots measuring 5,187 square feet in Ponmeni, in August 2023.
The promotor had released an advertisement in a newspaper about selling houses in the layout.
However, Jaibalaji, who claimed that he was close with former Madurai Mayor Indrani’s husband Ponvasanth and asked him to sell two plots at a rate fixed by the accused.
When the promotor claimed that he was only selling built houses and not plots, he told him that he could help him in getting underground drainage and drinking water facilities for the new layout.
Besides, Jaibalaji threatened Seetharaman that if he failed to heed to his demand, he could give his business lot of trouble.
The realtor registered two plots in Jaibalaji’s wife, Kalavathi’s name in September 2024. However, Jaibalaji did not keep his promise of getting him the said facilities for the new layout.
Meanwhile, after Ponvasanth was dismissed from the party, he had insisted to fulfil his promise.
However, Jaibalaji had reportedly threatened him with dire consequences.
Published – February 05, 2026 08:10 pm IST
