Notorious criminal arrested, gold jewellery recovered

MADURAI: The district police arrested a notorious criminal, who was wanted in 20 cases across the state and recovered 133 sovereigns of gold jewellery from him. The accused was an associate of Vellai Ravi from Chennai who was killed in a police encounter.
Madurai SP, V Balakrishnan told media persons on Monday that the district police formed a special team headed by Oomachikulam Inspector, Muthukumar to find out the culprits in various theft cases reported in the district. The special team was investigating various theft and burglary cases and during one investigation they caught hold of K Manikandan alias Minnal Mani from Narimedu on suspicion.
During the interrogation, it was revealed that he was involved in various cases and police recovered 26 sovereigns of gold ornaments from him, initially. He was remanded to judicial custody on November 11 and was taken in police custody later due to his involvement in multiple cases. Further investigation revealed that he was involved in cases like murder, murder for gain and various property offences reported across Madurai and various other districts in the state. Arrest warrants are pending against him in Madurai, Chennai and Pudukkottai districts after he failed to appear in court. Police recovered another 107 sovereigns of gold ornaments during the interrogation and the weapons and two-wheeler used for these offences, SP said.
“There are altogether 20 cases against him, including murder charges and arrest warrant has been issued in these cases. He had been booked under the Goondas Act three times,” he stated.
Police said that Minnal Mani was arrested after six months of close surveillance and was a notorious criminal associated with Vellai Ravi. He was also related to Ravi, police said. In burglary cases, Mani used to target houses after thorough study and used to rob them single-handedly, the police said. With the looted jewels and money, he had led a lavish lifestyle and had hired a bungalow in Puducherry that he used for hiding. To transact the looted ornaments, he used to exchange them in leading jewellery shops and pawn them later in the finance companies to realise it as money, police said.
Police said that Minnal Mani was arrested after six months of close surveillance and was a notorious criminal associated with Vellai Ravi, who was shot dead in Chennai.