Attingal: The Iranian couple arrested for broad daylight robbery at the Foreign Money Exchange Centre here is professional fraudsters, police said. The duo, Serajjuddin Hyder and wife Hendari, had earlier looted Saudi Riyal to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh from a shopping centre functioning opposite to Kothamangalam private bus stand on October 19, 2018.
Police suspect both the robberies are the handiwork of prime accused Serajjuddin Hydar and a close friend of his.
Last year the same group siphoned off US dollars worth Rs 30,000 from Pixel Graphics functioning near Thiruvananthapuram Medical College on May 18 and Rs 58,000 cash from Money Muttathu Nidhi Ltd in the Kilimanoor-Karette stretch.
The arrested have also made robbery attempts in Sheriff Fossil at Manjalikulam, in Thiruvananthapuram, and in several other places. The police have gathered details of their stay in various hotels in Mumbai and Goa. They believe the arrests would unearth more frauds which have the hand of the Iranian couple.
Serajjuddin Hyder was presented before the Kothamangalam court, while Hendari Hosini in Attingal court and were sent to Muvattupuzha and Attankulangara jails respectively. The police will seek the custody of the duo for a detailed interrogation to ascertain the involvement of more persons in the fraud and if they had committed other robberies.
Attingal Money Exchange Robbery: Iran Couple held
Attingal: A foreign couple was arrested in connection with defrauding foreign currency worth Rs 1.75 lakh six months ago under the pretext of exchanging US dollars from a money exchange centre here. Iranian couple Serajjuddhin Hyder, 57, and wife Hendari, 53, were nabbed from a private hotel at Angamaly.
The duo, who came to VS Associates on Kacheri-Chirayinkeezhu stretch on an autorickshaw from Kacheri Nada on September 17, 2018 around 1 pm, sought money in exchange of 1,000 dirhams. When the female staff at the counter went to take the money, the duo made off with the 7,500 Saudi Riyal and 75 Kuwait Dinar at the table counter.
Sunikumar of Vilayinmoola who runs the finance firm lodged a complaint with the Attingal police. It has come to light that the couple had conducted similar frauds at a Foreign Money Exchange centre at Medical College junction. Police have collected the CCTV footage and identified the two. The Attingal police have issued a look-out notice after confirming through CCTV visuals that the frauds in both the places were indeed conducted by the same team.
Previously, the fraudsters had looted currency to tune of Rs 2 lakh from Lavanya Shopping Centre in front of Kothamangalam Bus Station. Thiruvananthapuram Rural District Police chief had received a tip off that the criminals are roaming in Angamaly area based on which Thiruvananthapuram Rural Shadow Police and Angamaly police have launched a joined search operation and nabbed the culprits from a lodge in Angamaly.
The fraudsters followed a modus operandi of flying to Iran after a couple of thefts and then return to do a series of crimes. DySP Famous Varghese, CI Sibichan Joseph, SIs Shyam, Balakrishnan Asari, ASI Pradeep and shadow police members Dileep, Mahesh, Shinod, Udayakumar and Safeeja led the arrest.
