The Entrustment Document Fraud (EDF) Wing of the Tamil Nadu police has arrested a 42-year-old woman and her 62-year-old mother for allegedly cheating a Malaysian businessman to the tune of ₹10.61 crore.

The police said they were arrested following a complaint from the businessman, who alleged that the suspects, Amilarasi and her mother Govindammal Perumal, claimed that they owned two companies in Valasaravakkam and deceived him into thinking that these companies would import 12,000 metric tonne sugar to his company, Allied Group SDN BHD, based in Malaysia.

The complainant’s company transferred ₹10.61 crore to the bank accounts of the accused persons’ companies between 2021 and 2022. The duo, without actually importing sugar to the Malaysian company as per their agreement, furnished bogus documents stating that the material was imported, the police said.

Based on the businessman’s complaint, a case was registered by the EDF-I Central Crime Branch. The accused Tamilarasi had also cheated a Mumbai businessman of ₹75 lakh and had been absconding, the police said.

A special team headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police S. Siva conducted a search at the duo’s house before arresting them. They seized immovable property documents worth about ₹1 crore and sent the duo to judicial custody.