BENGALURU : Two persons were arrested in Mysuru after they duped 18 people hailing from Bengaluru by falsely advertising through WhatsApp that they were auctioning seized vehicles on behalf of the Bengaluru police. Two more people allegedly involved in the crime are absconding.
Jeevan (38), a former employee of the excise department, was arrested earlier this week while his friend, Madhu, was held a day later. The group had been advertising the auction of 260 four-wheelers which he claimed were being auctioned by the excise department, through a third person Sadiq Pasha’s WhatsApp account. Jeevan allegedly used Pasha’s account to post the false information on a WhatsApp group comprising the latter’s friends. The accused had cheated 18 people from Bengaluru of Rs 40 lakh and transferred Rs 15 lakh to various other bank accounts.
“We have recovered Rs 15 lakh so far. Efforts are on to nab the others,” SM Chandrappa, cybercrime police inspector, told City Express. Jeevan was arrested at Madikeri and is now in judicial custody, he added. The complaint was filed by Pasha after he realised that his account was being misused.
In August last year, the Karnataka Lokayukta had directed the police to take the court’s permission and dispose unclaimed vehicles lying in police stations. Just two days ago, Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Ravi Channannavar had posted on the social media, announcing the auction of 274 stolen two-wheelers worth Rs 93,00,000. According to traffic police sources, about 100-200 seized or abandoned vehicles that have not been claimed yet are lying in each police station in the city.
‘Phone’-y affair
Last year, a 22-year-old Bengaluru woman was flooded with inappropriate messages on WhatsApp, with her tormentor not only claiming that he had received a contract to harass her on social media but also demanding a Rs 40,000 payoff.