CHENNAI: A 44-year-old woman lawyer was arrested on Monday for allegedly cheating at least seven persons to the tune of `1.39 crore after promising to get them medical seats in a private college in Bangalore.Anna Nagar resident Lydia Ryan was trapped by a police team following a complaint lodged by M Velu of Pernampet at Gudiyattam in Vellore district with the Joint Commissioner of Police (West Zone) K Shankar.Velu wanted a medical seat for his son V Kathiravan and paid `20 lakh in three installments to Lydia Ryan after meeting her through a mutual friend Ramesh. “The complainant said he sold his entire property in order to secure a medical seat for his son,” JCP Shankar told Express. “Kathiravan was a good student and had secured good marks,” he said.About six months passed and when the promised medical seat did not materialise, Velu became suspicious and asked Ryan to repay his money. She, however, dodged him and evaded all his attempts to meet her at her house.Acting on his complaint, Anna Nagar police registered a case under sections 420, 471 and 506(1) and arrested the lawyer near her house on Monday evening. Inquiry showed that she had similarly taken six others for a ride to the tune of `1.39 crore.Explaining her modus operandi, the JCP said she would promise to secure medical seats, claiming that she had “good connections” in some colleges. “She would take the admission seekers to the colleges and flaunt her acquaintance with the staff or employees there to make the former believe that she was well connected,” he said.Later, when they wake up to the fact that they had been cheated, she would return home late in order to avoid meeting them. “She kept odd hours and was never at home during the day,” the JCP said.Lydia Ryan studied law at a college in Bangalore and registered with the Madras Bar Council in 1991. But she did not renew it. Her husband Mahesh Ryan works as a finance consultant.
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