The body of Sridhar Dhanapalan, a 44-year-old land mafia don who was known as the ‘Dawood of Tamil Nadu’, was brought to Chennai airport on Sunday morning. It was taken to Chengalpattu Government Hospital, reported The Times of India.
The Hindu reported that the body arrived in the international cargo section at 10.45 am, and since his son Santhosh had the required documents, they may be able to claim it on Monday.
Citing airport sources, the Deccan Chronicle said that the immigration officials has stalled the process of clearing Sridhar’s body as the clearance documents had not been provided by the Indian Embassy in Cambodia. His lawyer and son had been in Phnom Penh since October 5 to convince the authorities.
On Sunday evening, however, the family members produced documents attested by a notary. His family members had also sought the help of the Ministry of External Affairs. The Madras High Court had, in fact, asked the Ministry of External Affairs to assist the family to bring the body back home after hearing a petition filed by his daughter Dhanalakshmi.
Sridhar died under mysterious circumstances in Cambodia on October 4. Based on the certificate produced by the family, the DC report said that he received emergency care at the Khema International Polyclinic, and passed away at 10.35 PM. The cause of death was mentioned as sudden cardiac arrest, it said.
A native of Kanchipuram, Sridhar was being tracked for various criminal cases in Tamil Nadu. According to reports, he had 43 cases against his name which included seven murders.
He fled the country in 2013 and went to Dubai. By then, he owned vast lands which he acquired through illegal means. The police were trying to track him since, but were unsuccessful.