The move comes a day after the actor’s husband Hemnath was arrested in another case.
Chennai Commissioner of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal transferred the alleged suicide case of VJ and actor Chitra to the Central Crime Branch on Wednesday. The Commissioner has transferred the case a day after VJ Chitra’s husband Hemnath was arrested in another case of allegedly swindling money from three students by promising to get them medical admissions, on Tuesday.
An actor in the famous soap serial ‘Pandian Stories’, Chitra was found dead in her hotel room in Nazarathpettai on December 9 at 3.30 am. The actor reached the hotel room at midnight after a shoot for a show on Vijay television. The Chennai police on December 10 concluded that she died by suicide following autopsy reports but her family members alleged foul play. During the time of death, her husband Hemnath was present in the room.
In the statement to the police, Hemnath said that he was waiting outside the room since Chitra requested him to stay out while she was going to shower. When Chitra did not open the door after repeated knocks, he requested the hotel staff to open the door and found her dead, he said.
The police started an investigation and questioned Hemnath, who married Chitra in October. The couple were planning to conduct a traditional wedding in January 2021. On December 15, the police arrested Hemnath on charges of abetment to Chitra’s suicide. In this backdrop, Hemnath was arrested again on Wednesday five years after a case was registered against him for allegedly cheating three students to the tune of over Rs 1 crore by duping to get an MBBS seat.
The case was registered on December 31, 2014 based on a complaint by Asha Manoharan to JJ Nagar police on charges that Hemnath received Rs 35 lakh each from three students including her in 2011 with promise of providing a medical seat. Since he failed to get admission, Asha Manoharan requested him to repay the money but he allegedly threatened her. In 2015, JJ Nagar police forwarded the case to the Central Crime Branch since more than Rs 50 lakh was involved.
Source: The News Minute