Image Source: Dinamalar
A 23-year-old man Suhail Ahmed from Athirampattinam in Thanjavur district was arrested on 8 August 2026 for allegedly defrauding a priest of the Sankaranarayana Swamy Temple in Sankarankovil of ₹92 lakh in a fake investment scheme, as reported in Dinamalar.
View this post on Instagram
The victim, Manikandan, 31, is employed as a priest at the Sankaranarayana Swamy Temple in Sankarankovil, Tenkasi district.
Earlier, as reported in Dinamalar, according to the police, Manikandan came across an investment advertisement on Instagram in December 2025 and clicked on a link provided in the advertisement. He was subsequently added to a WhatsApp group by unidentified persons, who allegedly persuaded him to download a fake investment application.
The application reportedly displayed fictitious investment returns, making it appear that large profits were being generated. Believing the claims to be genuine, Manikandan allegedly transferred a total of ₹92 lakh to various bank accounts between 30 December 2025, and 10 January 2026.
The application showed that his investment had generated profits of ₹1.94 crore. The fraudsters allegedly then demanded an additional ₹37 lakh from him, claiming that the amount was required to release the purported profits.
Suspecting that something was wrong, Manikandan consulted his friends and realised that he had been defrauded. He subsequently filed a complaint through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Following an investigation, the Tenkasi Cyber Crime Police arrested Suhail Ahmed, 23, of Athirampattinam, Thanjavur, in connection with the case.
Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
