Chennai: Madras high court has refused to grant anticipatory bail to woman inspector Sheela Mary attached to Royapuram AWPS in connection with a case registered for her suspected involvement in a ₹20 crore gold coin investment scam.Sheela, who stands suspended from service, has been named as an accused along with the promoter of the scheme in the FIR registered by the economic offences wing (EOW) of Tamil Nadu police.Refusing to entertain the bail application on Monday, Justice C Kumarappan dismissed the petition.According to the prosecution, Sheela, attached to the Royapuram all-women police station, was named in an FIR along with the scheme’s promoter, Prabhumani, based on a complaint lodged by a bank employee who alleged that he was cheated after investing in the venture.The investment scheme was floated in 2023 through a WhatsApp group, and it promised gold coins at below-market rates along with attractive monthly returns. A company was reportedly established to operate the scheme. Several serving and retired police personnel, their family members, and senior officers had invested in the venture. Prabhumani was arrested on Thursday.
