Asin: Relief

Chennai, June 20: Chennai police have nabbed actress Asin’s missing assistant, who went underground for nearly a year with his mother accusing the star’s family of having a hand in his disappearance.

The police caught N. Muthukumaraswamy, 22, at the Chennai office of Samapth Kumar, co-producer of Ghajini (a film featuring Asin), when he came there yesterday seeking a job. Kumar had tipped the police off after Muthu called him asking for an appointment.

Two policemen posing as junior artistes waited at the producer’s office, grabbed their man and handed him over to his mother Sudalaivadivu. She had lodged a police complaint in March alleging her son, Asin’s touch-up boy since 2005, had gone missing after he moved to Mumbai with Asin. The actress had rented a flat in Mumbai for the shooting of Ghajini more than a year ago.

Asin’s father, Joseph Thottumkal, had told Mumbai police in January that Muthu had quit his job, unable to adjust to the new environment and language. Thottumkal had furnished copies of the settlement and vouchers signed by Muthu. But Sudalaivadivu was unconvinced.

“Muthukumaraswamy admitted that Asin and her family had no role in his disappearance,” an officer said. “He said he went underground after his friends told him the police were looking for him (in connection with his mother’s complaint).”

It’s not clear why he had not contacted his mother before or after the complaint.

The police obtained his mobile and bank account numbers from his friends. They discovered that Muthu had withdrawn money from ATMs in Shirdi, Calcutta, Rishikesh, Delhi and Tirupati. Tracking his mobile phone calls revealed he had returned to Chennai early this week.

Although Asin’s family has not lodged any complaint, the police are ready to probe if Muthu was extorting money from them. Sources close to Asin’s father said he had offered to reinstate Muthu.