Bhubaneswar: The cyber wing of the State Crime Branch has arrested two persons from Darjeeling district of West Bengal in connection with a Rs 5.14 crore online investment fraud involving a fake trading platform.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Gurung (55), a resident of Tiumal Para under Siliguri Police Station, and Randheer Kumar Ray (46), a resident of Ward No. 03, Gurung Basti under Pradhan Nagar Police Station in Darjeeling district.
According to an official press release, the Odisha State Crime Branch Cyber Crime Police Station achieved a major breakthrough in a case involving cheating through a fraudulent online trading platform promising high returns.
The case was registered as Case No. 12 dated 09.04.2025 under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 66-C and 66-D of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
As per the complaint, the victim was induced by cyber fraudsters to invest in the stock market through a fake online platform. The complainant transferred Rs 5,14,00,000 over 20 days starting from March 17, 2025, believing the promise of high returns.
Initially, fake profits were displayed on the platform to gain the victim’s trust. However, when the complainant attempted to withdraw the money, the fraudsters blocked the request and demanded additional payments. Realising the fraud, the victim approached the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 and lodged a formal complaint with the CID-CB Cyber Police Station, Odisha, Cuttack.
Following the complaint, a team led by Inspector Rajakishore Behera conducted an intensive investigation by analysing the money trail and digital evidence. The team later conducted a raid in Darjeeling and apprehended the two accused persons involved in the racket. Investigations revealed that a joint bank account linked to the operation had received Rs 49.1 lakh of the total defrauded amount.
During the operation, police seized mobile phones, SIM cards, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and other incriminating documents suspected to have been used in the fraud.
The accused were produced before the Learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Siliguri, and were granted transit remand. They are being brought to Odisha for further investigation and will subsequently be produced before the SDJM Court in Bhubaneswar.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the accused were part of a larger interstate cyber fraud network operating fake investment schemes and routing illicit funds through multiple bank accounts. Efforts are underway to identify other members of the syndicate and trace the remaining money.
The Crime Branch has advised the public to remain cautious of fake investment offers on social media and messaging platforms and to avoid investing in schemes promising guaranteed high returns. Citizens have been urged to verify platforms before making any financial transactions and to immediately report cyber fraud incidents on the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or www.cybercrime.gov.in.
