Kozhikode (Kerala) | Three persons have been arrested for allegedly orchestrating a fabricated theft to defraud approximately Rs 40 lakh from the father-in-law of the primary suspect of the case in Kuttikattoor of this district, police said on Sunday.

The arrested have been identified as P M Rahees, Sajid alias Shaji and Jamshid, police added.

The case was solved after two days of investigation by a special squad, which analysed CCTV footage from multiple locations, police said.

According to police sources, the prime accused P M Rahees filed a complaint on March 20 stating that Rs 40.25 lakh had been stolen from his car when it was parked at a private hospital in Poovattuparamba, the previous day.

Rahees claimed the money belonged to a close relative who had entrusted it to him for safekeeping.

Following his complaint, a case was filed, and an investigation was launched, police said.

According to the police, CCTV footage from nearby cameras showed two individuals on a scooter smashing the car window, taking an item from the vehicle, and fleeing the scene.

However, the suspects were wearing helmets, making it difficult to identify them, police added.

Rahees claimed the stolen bag contained the cash he had placed in the car.

Upon further investigation, the Kozhikode City police discovered that the number plate of the vehicle used in the theft was fake.

This discovery complicated the investigation, but after intensifying their efforts, the police located the scooter involved in the crime, police said.

Two suspects, Sajid alias Shaji and Jamshid, were taken into custody.

While questioning, Sajid revealed that the item taken from the car was not as Rahees had claimed, police said.

According to the statement of Sajid, he had taken a cardboard box and a bag from the back seat of the car, but there was no money inside, they added.

After this revelation, Rahees was taken into custody and questioned.

The investigation uncovered that the alleged "robbery" was actually a drama.

Rahees had been entrusted with Rs 40 lakh, transferred by a company in Bangalore where his father-in-law worked as a manager. The money was meant to be sent to the company’s branches in Kerala.

However, Rahees had been using the money for personal expenses, and when his father-in-law demanded it back, Rahees could not return the funds.

In a desperate move, he orchestrated the fake robbery.

Rahees, a tyre shop and bus service operator had planned the fake robbery in an attempt to cover up his actions.

The police examined multiple CCTV footage, employed scientific investigation methods and arrested the accused, sources in police said.

A case has been registered against the accused for filing a false complaint.

An investigation into the source of the money is also underway, police added.