Former Theni district PRO and wife booked in ₹74-lakh job scam

Theni police have booked a former District Public Relations Officer (PRO) and his wife for allegedly defrauding the public of ₹74 lakh by promising government jobs. 

According to the police, the complainant M. Santhi, 48, a native of Theni district, was introduced to then Theni PRO R. Shanmugasundaram through an intermediary named Davamani in 2021. 

Mr. Shanmugasundaram allegedly claimed that his close ties with high-ranking officials and politicians would enable him to secure an Assistant Public Relations Officer (APRO) position for Ms. Santhi’s son in exchange for a cash payment. 

Acting on the assurances, the complainant paid a total of ₹50 lakh to Shanmugasundaram and his wife, S. Shenbagavalli, in multiple instalments between September 9 and November 10, 2021.  

However, as the couple failed to secure the promised job and continued to offer excuses for the delay, Ms. Santhi began her own inquiries. Through various sources, she eventually discovered that the couple had allegedly defrauded several others using similar tactics 

The investigation further revealed that the couple had allegedly collected an additional ₹24 lakh from other victims, including ₹4 lakh each from Chellathambi, Pavithra, and Muthupandi, and ₹12 lakh from Palanikumar.  

Following the complaint lodged by Ms. Santhi, Theni District Crime Branch registered a case against the former PRO and his wife under sections relating to cheating and criminal breach of trust.