T’puram: Police intensified the probe into the alleged Vizhinjam gold pawn fraud case by scrutinizing transactions worth over Rs 7 crore routed through the accused’s bank account over the past five years. Police are tracing the movement of funds to determine where the money was transferred and whether the transactions are linked to the alleged misappropriation of customers’ gold ornaments.The financial fraud probe has now been handed over to district crime records bureau (DCRB), while Vizhinjam police have completed key stages of the investigation into the abetment to suicide case. Police said the accused was questioned in detail during custody and evidence had been collected from a bank branch at Poonkulam, KSFE branch at Thampanoor and private financial institutions in Kovalam and Venganur.According to police, transactions worth Rs 1.25 crore were recorded in the account during the past year, the period when the alleged gold misappropriation is believed to have taken place. Officials said the focus is now on tracing the flow of money and identifying the beneficiaries of the transactions.Meanwhile, the number of complaints against the accused rose to 21, with a fresh complaint received alleging the misappropriation of gold ornaments.Another officer said, “The accused has not been fully cooperative during interrogation. Several aspects of the financial transactions are yet to be verified, and further probe is under way.”The case came to light after two employees of a private financial institution, Anju (28) of Venniyoor and Aishwarya (32) of Venganur, allegedly died by suicide after reportedly suffering severe mental distress over the loss of customers’ pledged gold ornaments.
