Kochi: The Kochi City Police have arrested Antony Sijin (31), a Puthuvype native, for allegedly defrauding a Mundamveli resident by promising a fake job opportunity abroad. The arrest took place in Vagamon on Monday, with assistance from the cyber cell, which tracked Sijin using his mobile tower location.
According to police, Sijin impersonated a police officer and offered the victim a driver’s job in the UK. Over time, he collected Rs52,810 from the victim but failed to secure the promised employment. A complaint was subsequently filed, leading to his arrest.
At the time of arrest, Sijin was accompanied by three women, who, police suspect, may also have been defrauded by him with similar promises of foreign jobs and visas. Reports indicate he may have taken cash and gold from them, although they have not yet filed formal complaints.
During the investigation, police uncovered evidence of similar scams committed by Sijin in Mulavukad and Palluruthy, where he allegedly used selfies with police officers to build credibility and mislead victims.
The arrest operation was conducted under the direction of Kochi City Deputy Police Commissioner Ashwathy Jiji, led by Mattancherry Assistant Commissioner Umesh Goyal (IPS), along with Fort Kochi Police Inspector M S Faisal, SI Naveen S, and senior CPOs Suresh, Mahesh, Sreejith T P, and CPOs Rajesh and Prajeesh.
Sijin was presented in court and remanded to judicial custody, while investigations into his previous frauds are ongoing.
