A mechanic shop employee in Chennai’s Vyasarpadi was arrested after allegedly replacing his employer’s payment QR code with one linked to his own bank account and diverting customer payments totalling Rs 2 lakh over two months, police said.
The accused, identified as 33-year-old Vijayakumar of Kannikapuram in Pulianthope, worked at a water-wash and mechanic shop on BB Road. Police arrested him following a complaint from the shop owner, Sarathkumar, 35, who discovered that payments made by customers were not reaching the business’s bank account.
According to the report, Sarathkumar had stayed away from the shop for two months after the birth of his child. During his absence, employees Vijayakumar and Thirumalai allegedly replaced the QR code connected to the owner’s bank account with codes linked to their own accounts. Customers continued to scan the displayed code while making payments, allowing the money to be diverted, police said.
The alleged substitution was discovered when Sarathkumar returned to work and reviewed the shop’s payment arrangements. After confronting the employees, he allegedly received death threats, following which he approached the Vyasarpadi police station crime branch.
A police team led by the crime branch inspector investigated the complaint and arrested Vijayakumar. Police also seized the QR code sticker that was allegedly used to redirect payments. The accused was produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.
The case highlights how small businesses that rely on physical QR-code stickers can face payment diversion when access to storefront displays and transaction records is not closely monitored. The report does not specify the payment service provider, the number of affected customers or whether the diverted amount has been recovered.
Police were continuing their search for Thirumalai, identified as the second suspect, who remained absconding. The investigation and legal proceedings are ongoing.
