Surat/Junagadh: Cyber Crime Cell of Gujarat’s Surat City on Tuesday arrested two men from Junagadh in connection with an alleged online share-trading fraud in which a complainant was cheated of Rs 42.98 lakh, with a subsequent check of the accused’s bank account revealing links to three other complaints registered in different states involving cyber fraud of more than Rs 4 crore.
According to the Cyber Crime Cell, the accused allegedly created a WhatsApp group and persuaded the complainant to obtain an ID for share trading by promising good returns.
The complainant was then induced to transfer a total of Rs 42,98,934 to different bank accounts purportedly for share trading.
The money was not returned, following which the complainant contacted the Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930 and submitted a complaint.
A case was registered under Sections 318(4), 336(2), 338, 336(3), 340(2), 61(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Amendment Act, 2008.
Acting on instructions and guidance of senior officials, police inspector A.M. Mori formed a team to trace those involved in the fraud. The team carried out a technical investigation and was sent to Junagadh, where two suspects were traced and arrested.
The first accused was identified as Gautamkumar Lathegar, 33, a casual labourer and Class 9 pass, residing at R.K. Apartment near Jawahar Road of Junagadh district.
Police said Rs 2 lakh involved in the present case had been transferred to Gautamkumar. Investigation also revealed transactions totalling Rs 18,49,552 through a Union Bank of India account linked to him.
Police alleged that he had handed over the bank account to co-accused Sachinkumar Teta on a commission basis for use in cyber fraud.
The second accused was identified as Sachinkumar Teta, 42, a real estate broker and Class 12 pass, residing in Meghani Nagar in Junagadh.
According to police, Sachinkumar had handed over Gautamkumar’s Union Bank of India account, which was allegedly being used in the fraud, to an absconding accused for use in cyber fraud in return for a commission of Rs 15,000.
During the investigation, police checked the bank account of one of the arrested accused through the Coordination Portal and found its alleged involvement in three complaints registered in different states.
“The complaints together involved cyber fraud of Rs 4,03,00,157 against victims,” police said.
The Cyber Crime Cell has advised people not to act on unsolicited messages promising returns through forex, share or cryptocurrency trading without first verifying their authenticity.
It has also advised people who are added to WhatsApp or Telegram groups from unknown numbers to leave the groups and block the numbers.
Police further cautioned against making large investments after receiving small initial profits, which could be used to gain a victim’s confidence.
People have also been advised not to trust individuals met through social media or matrimonial websites or transfer money to them.
(IANS)
