Bhubaneswar: The cybercrime wing of Odisha’s state crime branch arrested five persons, including a woman, from Surat for allegedly defrauding a Berhampur businessman of over ₹6 crore through a fake cryptocurrency trading scheme.
The accused, identified as Sejal Ravikumar Sabhaya, Sabhaya Ravi Kumanbhai, Sabhaya Kumanbhai, Paras Dhirubhai Jesani, and Dharmesh Nanubhai Savaliya, created a fake cryptocurrency trading platform to lure investors.
According to the police, the victim was contacted by an unknown woman claiming to be a Hong Kong-based software developer on social media in May 2024. She promised 200% returns within days and added the victim to a chat group where additional fraudsters provided investment instructions.
The businessman transferred a total of ₹6,16,37,084 to multiple accounts provided by the scammers between May 23, 2024, and June 24, 2024, without verifying their legitimacy. When he attempted to withdraw his supposed profits, the accused made excuses and eventually stopped responding to his calls.
Moreover, when the businessman demanded to refund his money, the scammers brazenly asked for an additional ₹89,00,000 and denied him access to his funds. They then abruptly changed their contact numbers and disbanded the group. It was only then that the victim realized he had fallen prey to a scam and promptly filed a FIR.
Acting on the complaint, a police team led by Crime Branch DSP Ratnaprava Satpathy tracked digital and banking records, leading to the arrest of five accused individuals from Surat in Gujarat.
