CB arrests two from MP for digital arrest and investment fraud
CUTTACK: In a major breakthrough, the Cyber Crime unit of Crime Branch arrested two persons from Madhya Pradesh for their involvement in two separate cases of digital arrest and investment fraud.
According to Crime Branch sources, one Sachin Kolan of Nagda, Ujjain, in MP was arrested for his involvement in a digital arrest case. Out of the total duped amount of Rs 1.06 crore, Rs 8.82 lakh was transferred to bank account of Kolan.
Similarly, Samir Ali (36) of Gudri Chouraha, Ujjain, was arrested for his involvement in investment fraud. Around Rs 34,90,028 had been credited to his bank account out of the total fraud money of more than Rs 2.58 crore.
A Bhubaneswar-based scientist had filed complaint alleging that on August 9 he received a call from an unknown mobile number wherein a person claimed that he was from DHL Couriers. He told him that using his name and Aadhar number, a parcel was sent to Japan containing five passports, three credit cards, 200 gram MDMA (narcotic drugs), 4 kg cloth, one laptop and Rs 35,000 in cash which had been seized by Custom Department and sent to Narcotics department for filing FIR and he had to talk to Mumbai Crime Branch urgently. The call was then shifted to a video call with a WhatsApp no which was showing as Mumbai Crime Branch.
As is the practice, a video call was activated showing a person in senior police officer’s uniform warning him of serious consequences of the crime. He was asked to transfer money to escape action, and in total they took Rs 1,06,82,000 in three transactions between August 9 and 14.
The second case was registered basing on the complaint of a businessman from Cuttack who alleged that he was lured by a WhatsApp group named Ram Investment Academy. Enticed by their false promises, he opened a privileged account with TECHSTARS PRO. The stocks they recommended showed substantial profits every day. He invested a total of Rs 2,58,60,000 between March 20 to April 20 utilising all his family savings including his wife’s and father’s money with hope of earning more profit.
However, in April last year, the group ceased operations and a specific phone number contacted him demanding a commission to withdraw his capital.
Basing upon the money trail, the Crime Branch team successfully identified the accused persons and arrested Sameer Ali. One more accused who was arrested earlier in this case from Kolkata is in judicial custody.