The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched an investigation into the dramatic escape of two Korean nationals from custody in Chengalpet district on November 3, 2021.
The suspects – Choi Youngsuk and Choe Jaewon – of South Korea, wanted in connection with a multi-crore GST evasion case were housed on the 8th floor of a high-rise apartment in Senthamangalam in the district from where they made good their escape.
Police sources claimed the duo climbed down to a lower floor from the residential apartment through a window and got into a vehicle organised with the support of some local persons. Preliminary investigation by the Tamil Nadu police revealed the accused went to Hyderabad by road and then took a flight to Imphal in Manipur. Investigators suspect they might have crossed the international land border from there and reached South Korea via Myanmar and Thailand.
However, with not many details emerging out of travel documents or digital footprints, the local police were relying on the statements of suspects who might have helped the accused persons to escape and also perusing CCTV footage in the vicinity, police sources said.
The Korean nationals were arrested in 2019 in connection with the tax evasion to the tune of a few crores of rupees and lodged in the Special Camp in Tiruchi. Their plea for private accommodation at their own cost was allowed by the Supreme Court which directed the Tamil Nadu police to take appropriate steps. The Chengalpet district police had deployed a guard in front of the flat in which they had moved in.
Days before the suspects escaped from custody, the State intelligence had a tip-off on the duo trying to procure fake identity cards, travel documents, and logistics support from local agents etc. and alerted the local police to enhance surveillance, the sources said, and added that the assistance of some South Korean embassy staff was also suspected in the case.
The CBI which took over investigation on the directions of the Madras High Court registered a case in which it quoted the First Information Report of the Palur police (Chengalpet district) as saying that Vasantharajan, the guard on duty on November, 3, 2021, had informed his superior officer that there was no response from the flat when he knocked the door upon joining duty on rotation. When a police team reached the spot and opened the door in the presence of Revenue officials, the two accused persons were not available in the flat.
