Police in Coimbatore have registered a fresh criminal case against a notorious repeat offender, currently imprisoned, for allegedly defrauding a spice merchant from Kerala. This marks the second such complaint filed against the individual within a mere span of three days, highlighting a concerning pattern of deception targeting businessmen.
Details of the Latest Cinnamon Trade Fraud
The Ramanathapuram police station took action on Saturday based on a complaint from N Thahak, 38, a resident of Kottayam in Kerala. The accused, identified as M Abuthakir, 45, from Brinthavan Circle in Kuniyamuthur, is alleged to have cheated Thahak of Rs 8.07 lakh in a cinnamon deal.
According to the police, the sequence of events began on August 13, 2025, when Abuthakir contacted the trader. Posing as the proprietor of ABM Traders, a Coimbatore-based spice trading firm, he placed an order for five tonnes of cinnamon. Thahak provided a quote of Rs 12.07 lakh for the consignment.
"On the same day, Abuthakir sent an advance payment of Rs 4 lakh and assured Thahak that the remaining Rs 8.07 lakh would be settled upon receiving the goods," a police officer explained. Trusting this promise, Thahak dispatched the full five-tonne shipment to the address of ABM Traders in Ramanathapuram. However, after taking delivery of the cinnamon, Abuthakir defaulted on the final payment.
A Pattern of Deception Emerges
This recent FIR is not an isolated incident. Investigators have revealed that this is the second formal complaint registered against Abuthakir in just three days, both involving traders from Kerala.
Abuthakir was already arrested and remanded to judicial custody on October 31 in connection with a separate case where he is accused of cheating a Kerala-based pepper dealer of Rs 18 lakh. The modus operandi was strikingly similar, involving a large spice order with an incomplete payment.
Furthermore, on Thursday, just two days before the latest complaint, the Ramanathapuram police had booked him in another case for allegedly defrauding a dry ginger trader from Kerala of a substantial sum of Rs 18.97 lakh.
Legal Repercussions and Ongoing Investigation
Following Thahak's personal visit to Coimbatore to lodge the complaint, authorities promptly registered a fresh First Information Report (FIR) against the history-sheeter. Since Abuthakir is already lodged in the Coimbatore Central Prison, the new charges will be added to his existing legal troubles.
The police are now examining the operations of ABM Traders and probing whether there are more victims who have been similarly duped by the accused in recent months. The repeated use of the same pretext—bulk spice purchases with partial payments—suggests a calculated scheme targeting interstate traders.
The back-to-back FIRs within a short period underscore the scale of the alleged frauds and have prompted a deeper look into the accused's activities and potential accomplices. The Coimbatore police are coordinating with counterparts in Kerala to gather further evidence and build a strong legal case.
