Chennai, Dec 14 (IANS): The Madras High Court has directed a CBI investigation into the escape of two South Korean nationals from the custody of Tamil Nadu police.

The two Koreans who were under the custody of the Tamil Nadu police in a flat as directed by the Supreme Court escaped from the premises a fortnight ago.

Choi Yong Sak and Choe Jaewon, Managing Director and General Manager of Chowel India Pvt Limited respectively were arrested for violation of GST to the tune of Rs 40 crore in 2019 and lodged in Puzhal central prison.

They were later granted bail and were lodged at the foreigner's detention camp at Trichy and the duo moved the Madras High Court that they be permitted to be lodged at their own residence instead of the detention camp citing into consideration the Covid -19 outbreak.

Madras High Court rejected the application but the Supreme Court granted the order in their favour and was lodged in a multi-storied building at Oragadam in Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu. The duo scaled-down the eighth-floor building of the flat and had made good their escape.

Tamil Nadu police suspect that they had travelled to Hyderabad by road and took a flight to Manipur and from there crossed the international border and landed in South Korea. The police were in touch with the South Korean authorities to ascertain whether they had reached that country.

The court, on Monday, directed the CBI to conduct an inquiry into the incidents and produce a preliminary investigation report by January 25, 2022.

There were reports that the duo had forged the documents and had received ground support in Tamil Nadu for their escape and the CBI will now probe all the angles related to the escape.