Kannur: The chief accountant of a jewellery store in Kannur who allegedly defrauded the owners of Rs 7.5 crore over several years appeared before the Town police on Monday for questioning
Chirakkal native K Sindhu (45), former chief accountant at Krishna Jewels in Thavakkara, had been absconding since July after being booked for financial fraud and cheating. The case was registered based on a complaint filed by C V Raveendranath, managing partner of Krishna Jewels.
Sindhu recently approached the High Court seeking anticipatory bail. The court deferred hearing the bail plea to December 19. However, the court ordered police not to arrest the accused until it heard the petition. The court further instructed the accused to appear before police for interrogation.
During interrogation, Sindhu denied the charges of cheating the shop owners. She claimed the amount is still in her account and can be transferred to the owner’s account.
Kannur Town Inspector Binu Mohan said the interrogation would continue for two more days. “More details regarding her involvement in the crime can be revealed only after detailed questioning,” said the police officer.
According to the complaint, Sindhu transferred Rs 7,55,30,644 from the jewellery account to her account and those of her relatives till 2021.
The fraud was detected during an audit conducted by a consultancy firm, which revealed that Sindhu had been swindling money from the jewellery shop since 2004 when she joined the firm. It was also alleged that she had threatened the auditor. The complaint said Sindhu produced fake documents to steal money. She also reportedly siphoned off the taxes and other duties paid by the jewellery to the government. Whether she engaged in any malpractices after 2021 is yet to be tabulated.
Soon after police registered the case, Sindhu went into hiding. She reportedly told her neighbours that she was travelling to Mangaluru to visit a doctor. Her mobile was also switched off.
According to police, Sindhu led a luxurious life. She had two houses, four vehicles and several plots of land in her name.
