Tuesday, 23 January 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The cyber crime police station of Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) arrested a cyber fraudster allegedly involved in a national level scam worth Rs 13 crore. He is also wanted in 12 States, the deputy superintendent of police Ankush Mishra said. The accused identified as Raghvendra and his gang members from various States used to scam people across the country.
The DSP said that the accused and his gang used to lure victims into investing in crypto currencies and by making fake promises of quick profits by completing tasks like liking and subscribing to YouTube channels. They used to approach people via WhatsApp and lure them into their elaborate scams. Mishra said that the gang came on the STF’s radar after a man registered a complaint against an unknown man who contacted the victim through WhatsApp and claimed to be Flipkart’s gift-giving manager.
The accused initially tried to entice him with the prospect of earning profits by completing simple tasks like liking and subscribing to YouTube channels. They later added him to a Telegram group and sent him links to various websites, urging him to invest in crypto currency for more returns. The DSP said that the victim fell for the scam and transferred a total of Rs 18.11 lakh to the gang through online transactions. He said that the authorities registered a complaint in the Dehradun cyber police station under Sections 420, 120B of the Indian Penal Code and 66 (D) of the Information Technology Act.
The charge was given to the cyber police station inspector Vikas Bhardwaj who investigated the case. The cyber team discovered that the victim’s money was transferred to accounts in Delhi, Jaipur and Rajasthan. Based on this information, the team apprehended two accused- Qadir Khan and Anish Khan from Rajasthan a few weeks ago. The team continued its investigation and finally nabbed Raghavendra from Karnataka’s Davanagere late on Sunday.
It was also revealed during the investigation that the accused was wanted in 12 States including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan and Telangana. The STF will soon approach the authorities of these States to take further action accordingly, Mishra added. He also urged people to stay cautious of such online scams that lure victims in the name of making quick profits.
