Identity thief takes police, courts for a ride

CHENNAI: In a case of incredible impersonation, a clerk working in an advocate's office took police, prosecution as well as courts - from sessions court to Supreme Court - for a ride for 15 years. The clerk fought a case of domestic violence slapped against him at all levels of judiciary using his elder brother's identity and is now absconding after SC upheld Madras HC's verdict convicting him.

It all started in 2002 when the clerk, Palani, befriended a woman, Lourdu Mary, introducing himself as 'Panneerselvam'. He told Mary that his family calls him 'Palani'. The duo started a live-in relationship and had two children.

But seven years down the line, ties soured after Palani attacked Mary and one of the kids following a quarrel. Based on Mary's complaint, he was booked for attempt to murder and for offences under Juvenile Justice Act, and arrested. In Mary's complaint, FIR and court records, he was named 'Panneerselvam'.

Those were the pre-Aadhar card days. As Palani and his brother didn't look very different, police bought into his claim, inspector Perundurai R Murugan of Kodambakkam police station said.

In 2018, a sessions court convicted Palani, but he went in appeal, first in HC then in SC. Earlier this year, SC ordered 'Panneerselvam' to surrender before the trial court and serve a three-year prison term. Subsequently, the trial court issued a non-bailable warrant when he failed to surrender.

The impersonation was discovered earlier this month, when a police team assigned to nab the absconding convict tracked 'Panneerselvam' to Kancheepuram, only to realise that he was the convict's elder brother.

While police are searching for the absconding Palani, it is not clear as to how they will arrest him even if he is traced. Though Palani is the offender, court papers would show 'Panneerselvam' as the suspect who was tried and convicted.