A 53-year-old man was arrested by Puzhal Police for allegedly cheating a trader of ₹15 lakh by attempting to sell him government-owned land using forged documents and later assaulting and threatening him.
The complainant, Sudhakar, 46, of Surapet, who runs a traditional medicine shop, told the police that the accused, Venu, had offered to sell him a 4,800 sq. ft. plot in Puthagaram village at a low price in 2014. Trusting him, Sudhakar paid ₹15 lakh, following which Venu executed a sale agreement promising to transfer the property in his name.
However, despite repeated requests, the accused allegedly failed to register the land. When Sudhakar later attempted to construct a shed on the site, he discovered that it was government-owned lake catchment land.
The police said that when Sudhakar questioned Venu on June 25, the accused, along with another person, allegedly assaulted him and threatened to kill him. The injured man was admitted to Periyar Government Hospital, from where he lodged a complaint.
Based on the complaint, the Crime Wing of the Puzhal police registered a case and arrested Venu of Surapet on Sunday.
Published – July 08, 2026 12:10 am IST
