A person posing as a multi-millionaire wanted in connection with cheating a number of persons out of several millions of rupees was arrested by the Nawalapitiya police while he was hiding in an underground chamber at a luxury house at Hapugastalawa.

The suspect is alleged to have obtained 50 million rupees from several persons promising employment in foreign countries.

With the money so obtained, the suspect had led a luxury life, according to the police. He owned two palatial houses, one at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo and the other at Nawalapitiya, the police said. His Nawalapitiya house has been named ‘Millennium City’.

The suspect had posed as a university lecturer and gem-dealer. He had 15 warrants issued on him by the Mount Lavinia courts, police said.

Produced in the Nawalapitiya Magistrate’s Court, the suspect was remanded till August 19.

OIC, Nawalapitiya IP Udaya Wickramasekera on the directions of senior DIG (Central Province) Gamini Nawaratne is conducting investigations.