CHENNAI: Over 150 villagers were duped of Rs 2 crore in a Deepavali chit fund fraud by a pawnbroker in Chengalpettu.The 48-year-old pawnbroker who promised gold and grocery coupons for villagers allegedly escaped on Thursday with the money he collected from more than 150 people. Police said Ramdev, from Rajasthan, was running a pawn brokerage office at Pudur near Madurantakam for the last five years. He was staying in a rented house at Melavalampattam near Padalam, with his wife and children.
K Lakshman, one of the victims told Express, “Last year, he announced he will give gold and grocery coupons for Deepavali 2019 based on the money we pay every month. He said people can deposit Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 every month. Word spread about this at Gurukulam, Nethapakkam, Kinar, Karunguzhi and Debathur villages around Madurantakam and other villages in Padalam and Keezhpattu.”
Lakshman said he had deposited Rs 10,00 for 12 months from October 2018 to October 2019. Ramdev promised to offer one sovereign for all those who deposit Rs 1,000 along with a grocery coupon for Rs 1,000. He had separate schemes for every deposit.
However, after Deepavali, many villagers started asking him about the gold and grocery coupons and he had allegedly told them he did not have the money then and he will pay it before December end.
“He kept coming to his office and told people he will keep his promise,” said Sathyaseelan, a daily wage labourer and who had also deposited money.
On Thursday evening, when people went to his office it was closed and some people reached his house at Melavalampattam. To their shock the house was also locked and locals said Ramdev left on Wednesday night along with his family. Around 150 persons lodged a complaint with Padalam police, who directed them to lodge a complaint at the Economic Offences Wing in the office of Kancheepuram SP. Investigation is under way.