Alappuzha: Days after authorities apprehended a 51-year-old who swindled crores out of numerous job aspirants in Kerala under the guise of offering them lucrative positions in a non-existent chocolate factory abroad, investigators have uncovered startling revelations regarding his whereabouts.
It has come to light that the Thrissur native, identified as Muhammad Ashiq, eluded authorities by escaping from Manjeri prison three years ago, adopting various disguises to evade capture.
Ashiq, initially incarcerated in 2021 for similar fraudulent activities, managed to exploit a COVID-19 contraction to flee from the Manjeri prison, deceiving security personnel at a CFLTC (Covid First Line Treatment Centers) unit that functioned at the Manjeri medical college in February that year, said K G Aneesh, Deputy Superintendent of Police in Ambalappuzha, whose team finally managed to capture him the other day.
While the Manjeri police failed to locate him, Ashiq resurfaced in Alappuzha, assuming a new identity to orchestrate his latest scam. Recognizing his penchant for assuming new identities with each crime, authorities have initiated an extensive effort to compile information on all charges levied against him. A comprehensive crime card, featuring his various aliases and photographs, will be distributed to police stations statewide.
“We have identified approximately 20 cases against him, each under a different name and identity," stated an official familiar with the investigation.
With Ashiq's apprehension from a hideout in Salem, investigators are also probing the possibility of his involvement in scams beyond state borders. They have traced Ashiq's movements to locations, including Kozhikode, Chennai, Mangad, and Bangalore's Koramangala before his capture in Salem. Prudent monitoring of his rented accommodations and surroundings preceded the arrest.
Hailing from Kecheri in Thrissur, his criminal record dates back to 1993. From his original identity as Manoj Kumar, son of Ashokan, the person renamed himself Muhammad Ashique in 2021 and further utilized aliases such as Muhammad and Ameer Muhammad. "Throughout his travels, he maintained minimal interaction with neighbors, keen to conceal his true identity," officials remarked.
Ashiq, a class 8 dropout, had previously served sentences for similar offenses, including fraudulent foreign recruitment schemes operated through a manpower agency in Kochi. His modus operandi involved maintaining a foreign SIM card to establish credibility, leveraging connections with website creators, and utilizing online platforms to fabricate legitimacy.
"He used to impress the candidates by hoisting fake websites with fake addresses and phone numbers, creating Facebook pages and adding and reviewing the location on Google Maps, etc. To commit the fraud, he would also take the support of some locals by convincing them that they too would be given jobs in the same company," they added.
In an effort to erase traces of his crimes, Ashiq exclusively dealt in cash and abandoned bank accounts, SIM cards, and mobile phones while moving to his next location. Remanded by the Judicial First-Class Magistrate court in Ambalappuzha, Ashiq is now admitted to a special cell at Alappuzha Medical College. Seven additional suspects in the case are currently out on bail.