Chennai, December 3: A man who lived under his brother's identity for nearly two decades, deceiving his family, police, and the judiciary, was finally unmasked in Chennai. Known as Palani, he had assumed the identity of his elder brother, Panneerselvam, following a domestic violence case in 2002. Using fake documents, Palani misled investigators, leading to the wrongful conviction of his innocent sibling for crimes he had committed. The truth emerged after police reviewed pending warrants and tracked Palani through his digital footprints. The dramatic case culminated in Palani’s arrest after months of pursuit.

As reported by Times of India, the saga began in 2002 when Palani, an advocate clerk, had a domestic dispute with his live-in partner, Lourdu Mary. Following a violent altercation, Palani attacked Mary and one of their children, prompting her to file a complaint. However, instead of identifying himself as Palani, he used his brother Panneerselvam’s name and documents. As the police had no reason to suspect the identity switch, they registered the case under the name Panneerselvam, leading to the wrongful conviction of his brother. Chennai Shocker: College Student Dies by Suicide by Jumping off Building in Potheri Days After Getting Caught in ‘Ganja Raid’ (Watch Video).

Over the years, Panneerselvam attended multiple court hearings related to the case, unaware that he was being wrongly implicated. In 2018, the Mahila Court sentenced him to five years in prison, which the Madras High Court later reduced to three years. The final confirmation came from the Supreme Court, which dismissed Panneerselvam’s appeal and ordered him to surrender. Throughout this period, Palani remained free, maintaining the ruse of being his brother. Chennai Shocker: School Headmistress Booked For Having Sex With Female Teacher After Spiking Her Drinks in Injambakkam.

It wasn’t until police began investigating the pending warrants that they uncovered the case’s complexities. After reviewing the documents and conducting further inquiries, they realised the confusion surrounding the identities of the two brothers. The breakthrough came when police officers discovered that the man they had been tracking was actually Palani, who had been evading capture for years.

In December 2024, after a five-month manhunt, Palani was finally apprehended from his hideout in Madipakkam, Chennai. Police had tracked his digital footprints, and after several attempts to divert attention, including using fake documents and public transport, they captured him. Palani was produced in court and remanded in judicial custody, bringing an end to a saga of mistaken identity and years of wrongful conviction.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 03, 2024 10:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).