Aide of South Indian actress held in cheating case

A month after the arrest of a South Indian actress Leena Maria Paul from a plush south Delhi farmhouse in connection with a multi-crore rupee cheating case, her absconding aide, Shekhar Reddy (22) has been apprehended from Kolkata, police said today.
Police have also recovered two diamond rings worth Rs 75 lakh, one diamond earing worth Rs 12 lakh, a bag worth Rs 3 lakh, 5 mobile phones and Rs 15,000 cash along with currency of Nepal and Bhutan from him.
"Shekhar and Paul were wanted in a number of cheating cases registered in Chennai and Bangalore. Cases of cheating Rs 72 lakh and Rs 19.22 crore from Canara Bank were registered against them at Central Crime Branch, Chennai.

"On May 27, a joint operation by the Delhi and Chennai police traced both of them in a Delhi farm house. While Leena Maria Paul was apprehended, Shekhar, who was at a distance in a Land Cruiser vehicle, had managed to escape from the spot," said DCP (South) B S Jaiswal.
According to police, after his escape Shekhar shifted frequently to Jaipur, Mumbai, Goa, Kolkata and Siliguri (West Bengal) over the last one month. Finally, he was located at Kankarbita Border, Siliguri from where he used to visit Nepal. He was apprehended from South City Mall, Kolkata.
"Shekhar lived a flamboyant life. Recently, around 80 expensive watches worth crores of rupees were recovered from his farm house. Regarding the cheated money of Rs 19 crores, he disclosed he purchased cars worth Rs seven crore and jewellery worth around Rs one crore," said Jaiswal.

Chennai police have been informed about the arrest, the Delhi Police said.