PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The cyber crime unit of Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) arrested a man wanted in an OLX rental fraud case from Jaipur, Rajasthan after evading authorities for nearly a year. The accused, Sharif Mohammad, a resident of Bharatpur district in Rajasthan, was wanted in a cyber crime case registered in 2022 at the cyber crime police station in Dehradun.
The deputy superintendent of police of cyber crime unit of STF Ankush Mishra said that Mohammad posed as a CISF personnel and targeted people who had posted rental advertisements on OLX. He sent forged identity documents over WhatsApp to gain their trust and misled them into transferring money by claiming that paramilitary rules required landlords to deposit an advance amount before renting a property.
On this pretext, the victim transferred Rs 12.46 lakh into different bank accounts. Evidence collected during the investigation led to a chargesheet and the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him. Mishra further informed that to avoid arrest, Mohammad frequently changed locations and moved about 300 kilometres away from his native place to hide in Jaipur’s Khoh Nagoria area.
The STF traced his movements through continuous technical surveillance and arrested him. He was presented before the Dehradun court for further proceedings under relevant sections, the DSP said.
He stated that during questioning, Mohammad admitted that he used fake identity documents, multiple mobile numbers and various bank accounts to carry out cyber frauds. He also revealed that he stayed in touch with associates and continued to cheat people through online platforms, including OLX and fraudulent investment schemes.
The team seized one mobile phone from his possession and further analysis is underway to identify his network. Mishra urged people not to fall prey to random offers and schemes online and report suspicious activities immediately to the nearest police station or the cybercrime helpline number 1930.
