M'SIAN FUGITIVE LIKELY CHARGED TOMORROW FOR FRAUD, MURDER

By P. Vijian

CHENNAI, Sept 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysian fugitive Michael Soosai, who was
nabbed recently in Tamil Nadu in connection with fraud and murder of a
compatriot, is likely to be charged at the Coimbatore magistrate's court
Saturday.

According to police sources, he is expected to face three charges of fraud
involving RM80,000 (US$25,806), committed in Coimbatore city, and a six-year-old
murder charge.

His three children are in a government juvenile home while his wife is held
in a city jail.

Coimbatore Assistant Commissioner of Police M. Selvarajan who is involved in
the investigation, told Bernama Friday.

"The interrogation is underway and he (Soosai) is cooperating well. So far,
he has admitted taking money and jewellery from his victims but did not say that
he cheated them.

"He said he would return their valuables and belongings but did not promise
the victims any date.

"He has admitted that he is Michael Soosai, and has a family in Malaysia."

Soosai, 47, is allegedly involved in the murder of Malaysian lorry driver N.
Subramaniam in South India in 2004, due to a family marital dispute.

After tracking the suspect for almost three months, Coimbatore police
deployed its Cyber Crime Cell to nab one of Malaysia's most elusive white collar
criminal who had eluded the Malaysian police dragnet for nearly a decade.

Coimbatore police took Soosai by surprise at a hotel room in Chennai, along
with his wife Rajeswari, last Thursday.

Well-placed police sources in Tamil Nadu said the suspected fraudster could
have been involved in nearly 20 other fraud cases, mainly in duping Indian job
seekers.

His modus operandi was to lure his victims to hotels where he promised them
lucrative jobs and later absconded with their money or jewellery.

Since he escaped from Malaysia, he was believed to be hiding in South
India, mostly operating from the state of Andhra Pradesh.
-- BERNAMA