Police said 38-year-old Ahamed Iqbal, who hails from Kandy, had come to India in 2011 and had stayed on though his visa had expired.
He had given Rs.15000 to one Selvaraj to arrange for a an illegal ferry to transport him to Sri Lanka, police said, adding, he has been taken to the police station at Mandapam for questioning.
A hunt is on for Selvaraj, they said.