The husband of late actor and television presenter VJ Chitra, Hemnath, was arrested on Tuesday by the Central Crime Branch for cheating students by promising them seats at medical colleges to the tune of Rs 1.05 crore. The case dates back to 2015.
Hemnath is already under arrest for abetment to suicide, after VJ Chitra was found dead in a hotel in Nazrethpettai, Tamil Nadu in December 2020.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, Inspector Vijayaraghavan of the Nazrethpettai police station said, “The Central Crime Branch has arrested Hemnath due to the medical college seat scam. However, we are not handling that case and cannot comment on that.”
He added, “But, the investigation regarding the suicide is ongoing and we cannot divulge any details at the moment. As per the RDO [Revenue Divisional Officer] report, they have ruled out dowry harassment, but we are investigating from all the angles and have not ruled out any perspective.”
According to a broadcast by Thanthi TV, a complaint was filed by the parents of some students at the JJ Nagar police station in Chennai in 2015. While the investigation was underway, the case was transferred to the Central Crime Branch.
Recommended
On December 14, 2020, Hemnath, who is a Chennai-based businessman, was arrested by the Nazrethpettai police on charges of abetment to suicide. The arrest came after VJ Chitra was found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bathroom of a hotel at Nazrethpettai, where the pair were staying. Subsequently, Hemnath was booked under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code and lodged at the Ponneri Jail.
Following Chitra’s death, a mandatory probe was initiated by the RDO, who then submitted a 16-page report after interrogating family and friends of Chitra and Hemnath. The probe has ruled out dowry harassment as a reason for the suicide. No further details have been divulged.