Police have arrested the main accused in the multi-crore investment scam involving the Viswadeepthi Multistate Agri Co-operative Society Ltd. Sajeesh Kumar (45), a native of Payyanad in Malappuram and the former chairman of the Viswadeepthi Multi-State Society, was apprehended at Karipur Airport upon his return from abroad.

The arrest followed a lookout notice issued by Irinjalakuda police on the directions of Thrissur Rural District Police Chief B Krishnakumar, IPS. Twelve cases have been registered against Sajeesh Kumar and other accused at the Irinjalakuda police station alone.

The accused allegedly collected large sums of money from investors by promising high interest rates through the Viswadeepthi Multi-State Agri Co-operative Society, which operated at Chanthakkunnu in Irinjalakuda. The society failed to pay the promised interest or return the invested amounts, resulting in multiple complaints.

Among those defrauded: ₹13.5 lakh was taken from a resident of Vallachira, ₹1 lakh from a person in Thalor, ₹15 lakh from a resident of Konathukunnu, and ₹5.5 lakh from an individual in Irinjalakuda. All amounts were accepted as fixed deposits.

Earlier, another accused — the society’s manager, Jeevalatha (39), a resident of Muttithadi — was also arrested by Irinjalakuda police.

The total fraud committed across the society’s branches in Thrissur, Kunnamkulam, Irinjalakuda, and Kuttanellur is estimated to exceed ₹300 crore. The latest arrest was made by Inspector M S Shajan under the leadership of Irinjalakuda DySP K G Suresh.