KOCHI: Even as the police have effectively dealt with cases related to murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and other crimes, cheating is still remains a tough nut for them to crack. Taking into consideration this dismal fact, the city police have decided to intensify its action against fraudsters.
City Police Commissioner M P Dinesh said the operation against fraudsters in the city will be revived. “Earlier, the police had conducted an operation to bust illegal overseas recruitment firms. If required, an operation will be launched against those involved in cheating,” he added.
As many as 1,288 cheating cases have been registered this year till April, shows the latest data available with the city police. It was 4,623 in 2016 and 4,720 in 2015.Ernakulam North Police, recently, busted a five-member gang operating money chain. On Monday, the cops arrested Shameem, 26, from Mattancherry, Menesh, 28, hailing from Idukki, Mohammed Ramees, 24, of Elamakkara, Joyal Joshy, 27, of North Paravur and Jishnu Mohan, 27, of Aluva on charges of duping youths. They have been running banned binary pyramid business model for its multi-level marketing schemes. During interrogation, the police received information about 10 more persons involved in the racket. They are Michael Ferreira, Padmakka aka Padma, a Chennai native, and her son Chetan.
According to officers, an inquiry is under way to net the accused who are absconding. Interestingly, besides multi-level marketing schemes and online frauds, ‘rice pulling’ seems to have become the best way for tricksters to relieve unsuspecting individuals of their material wealth. Days after the Kalady police arrested a native of Andhra Pradesh on charges of swindling several lakhs by deploying the trick, Ernakulam Rural Police unearthed yet another instance of rice puller fraud from North Paravur on Wednesday. In the latest case, the police arrested three persons, who allegedly duped a vegetable vendor from Angamaly off Rs 20 lakh by selling him the ‘magic metal’. The arrested have been identified as Vishnu Reddy, Nagaraj and Syed, all hailing from Udumalaipettai in Tirupur district, Tamil Nadu.