K N Esakki Raja
THOOTHUKUDI: Pasumpon Makkal Katchi president Esakki Raja was arrested by the Thoothukudi district police on Tuesday on charges of demanding Rs 1 crore from the owner of a commercial establishment over a dispute related to the purchase of gold jewellery. Police alleged that Raja had received Rs 4.22 lakh towards the jewellery dispute and subsequently demanded another Rs 1 crore from the establishment’s owner. The management approached the district police through representatives of the traders’ association and lodged a complaint with the superintendent of police. His supporters later gathered near the police station following news of his arrest, prompting the deployment of additional police personnel to prevent any untoward incident.
Acting on the complaint, police went to Raja’s residence and arrested him on Tuesday.
A customer had alleged that a gold ornament purchased from the establishment contained a higher proportion of other metals. Isakki Raja reportedly intervened in the dispute on behalf of the customer and allegedly conducted a kangaroo court.