CUTTACK: THE Crime Branch of Odisha police has arrested two persons, one from Punjab and another from Andhra Pradesh, in connection with two separate online investment fraud cases. While 41-year-old Bittu Kumar, belonging to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested from Ludhiana in Punjab, Chapalamadugu Sudheer Kumar (33), was nabbed from his native place Guntur in Andhra Pradesh.
A Berhampur-based businessman had lodged an FIR with the Cyber Crime police on July 9 last year alleging he had been duped of Rs 6.16 crore by some unknown cyber fraudsters on the promise of receiving lucrative returns if he invested in digital currency exchange trading. As per the complainant, the fraudsters persuaded him to trade in IPO and OTC, USDT leading him to transfer Rs 6,16,37,084 in phases. When he attempted to withdraw the sum, they allegedly refused to release his money if he did not pay more. The complainant then realised it was a scam and lodged an FIR.
In the second case, a retired LIC development officer of Mayurbhanj had lodged a complaint with CID, CB’s Cyber Crime police station in March this year alleging he had been cheated by cyber fraudsters of over Rs 1.01 crore on the pretext of getting high returns through investment in IPO and OTC trading. Basing on the complaint, police launched an investigation and nabbed Chapalamadugu from Guntur. The accused will be produced in the court, said a senior CB officer.