Kuruppampadi(Kochi): The glitz of filmdom is known to hide many a deceitful corner and often aspirants have landed themselves into it willingly or otherwise.
In a cinema style con job, an Angamaly native has been cheated of around Rs 14.5 lakhs under several heads by an impostor who posed as an influential man in the film fraternity.
The police has arrested the culprit, Mungoliparambil Venugopal( Venuji, 50), a native of Piravom for alleged forgery.
The accused had promised the Angamaly native that he would find acting opportunities in devotional albums for his children; and also offered the role of producer to the father.
To gain the trust and confidence of the family, Venugopal even took the complainant and his children to meet a few cinema and serial directors.
He had apparently conducted photo shoots of the children claiming it was necessary to land acting opportunities.
This continued for almost two years till the family grew suspicious as acting opportunities never came their way and thus decided to file a police complaint.
Following an investigation the police found out that the accused had committed similar acts of fraud many times.
He had siphoned off Rs 65,000 from a home maker in Chalakkudy by promising to find film roles for her niece.
In another incident, Venugopal tricked a Pazhoor native and owner of an arts school and got Rs 50,000 after promising to get costumes for conducting arts shows in Gulf countries.
A history-sheeter, Venugopal is accused in several cases across the state.
Kupuppampadi police arrested the fugitive fraudster after making him appear in person at Muvattupuzha.
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