The Cyber Crime Police of Chandigarh have successfully apprehended two individuals from the Union Territory of Daman and Diu in connection with a significant online fraud case. The accused allegedly duped a city resident of a staggering sum exceeding Rs 60 lakh through a deceptive business proposition.
The Elaborate Online Scam Unfolded
According to the investigation led by Eram Rizvi, the Station House Officer (SHO) of the cyber police station, the incident began on September 25, 2024. The complainant, Sunil Kumar from Sector 32 in Chandigarh, was approached via a Facebook profile operating under the name Morris Pauline. The profile offered him a lucrative business opportunity involving the purchase of a medicinal product called Avastin Powder.
The fraudster promised a regular supply of 300 kg per month from a laboratory based in the United States. To make the deal appear genuine, the subsequent communications were strategically moved to WhatsApp and email. The complainant was then directed to contact what he believed were Indian suppliers for the product.
Financial Trail and Arrests
Trusting the proposal, Sunil Kumar made an initial payment of Rs 13 lakh for a consignment of 50 kg of Avastin Powder. Shortly after, the so-called suppliers demanded an additional Rs 10 lakh. In total, the victim was cheated of Rs 60,65,883.
The cyber crime team traced the financial transactions, which revealed that the fraudulent funds were deposited into multiple bank accounts held in the names of the accused. Following this crucial lead, the police conducted a raid in Daman and Diu. The operation led to the arrest of the two suspects from the jurisdiction of the Nani Daman police station.
Accused Produced in Court
The arrested individuals have been identified as 22-year-old Sanskar Jain, a resident of Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, and 28-year-old Rabendra Kumar Patel from Daman. After their arrest, they were presented before a local court in Chandigarh. The court has granted the police a three-day remand for further interrogation and to uncover potential links to other similar cyber frauds.
This case highlights the sophisticated methods employed by cyber criminals who use social media platforms to initiate contact and then shift to encrypted messaging apps to execute their plans. The Chandigarh Cyber Police's swift action in tracking the money trail across states underscores the importance of coordinated efforts in tackling such interstate online crimes.
