Kerala: Man stages fake Rs4 million robbery to defraud father-in-law, arrested

Kozhikode: A 35-year-old man from Kuttikkattoor in Kozhikode district, Kerala, was arrested on Sunday for allegedly staging a fake robbery with the help of two hired accomplices to fraudulently obtain Rs4 million from his father-in-law.

The case was solved after a two-day investigation by a special police squad, which analysed CCTV footage from multiple locations.

Police identified the accused as P.M. Rahees and his accomplices, Sajid alias Shaji and Jamshid, according to news agency PTI.

The investigation began after Rahees filed a complaint on March 20, claiming that Rs4.02 million had been stolen from his car while it was parked in the compound of a private hospital. He alleged that the money belonged to a close relative who had entrusted him with it for safekeeping.

CCTV footage showed two helmeted individuals breaking into Rahees' car, taking a sack, and fleeing on a scooter. However, further investigation revealed that the scooter's number plate was fake. Police tracked the vehicle and detained Sajid and Jamshid, whose statements contradicted Rahees' claims.

During questioning, Sajid admitted that the stolen item was merely a cardboard box and a bag, with no cash inside. This prompted police to detain Rahees for further inquiry. Eventually, the suspects confessed that the entire incident was staged at Rahees’ request. He had allegedly paid his accomplices Rs90,000 to execute the fake theft.

Police sources revealed that Rahees had already spent the Rs4 million—funds originally transferred from a Bengaluru-based company where his father-in-law worked as a manager. The money was intended for distribution among the company’s Kerala branches. Unable to repay the amount, Rahees orchestrated the robbery to cover up his financial mismanagement.

Rahees, who operates a tyre shop and a bus service, planned the staged crime to evade accountability. Authorities confirmed that scientific investigation methods and extensive CCTV analysis led to his arrest.

A motorcycle with a fake registration number, used in the incident, was also seized as evidence.

A case has been registered against Rahees for filing a false complaint, and investigations into the source of the money are ongoing.