Odisha CB nabs two from Chennai and Kozhikode over digital arrest
CUTTACK: The cyber crime unit of Odisha Crime Branch has arrested two persons on charges of duping a Bhubaneswar-based scientist to the tune of Rs 1.06 crore through the digital arrest scam.
While one of the accused Satish Kumar K was held from Chennai, Harish CM was picked up from Kozhikode.
The Crime Branch said the senior scientist had fallen into the trap of the two scamsters and transferred Rs 1,06,82,000 to three bank accounts in as many transactions between August 9 and 14 last year.
The victim received a call from an unknown number on August 9 claiming to be from DHL courier. He was told that a parcel was sent to Japan using his name and Aadhaar number. The scamsters said the consignment contained five passports, three credit cards, 200 gm drugs, four kg cloth, a laptop and Rs 35,000 all of which was detained by Customs. The scientist was also told that the consignment was sent to narcotics wing for registration of FIR and he must talk to Mumbai Crime Branch urgently.
He soon received a video call from a WhatsApp number showing as Mumbai Crime Branch. Some persons posing as police officers and government officials told the scientist that they found four illegal accounts were operating using his Aadhaar number at UP, Maharasthra, Karnataka and Bihar which were being used for money laundering during election by Nawab Mallik and Dawood Ibrahim group. He was also cautioned he cannot be out of surveillance till probe is over.
The fraudsters issued a letter asking him to deposit the money in an account of RBI controlled by Mumbai Crime Branch assuring it would be returned after verification. Unaware, the scientist transferred the funds.
The cyber crime unit tracked the money trail, identified and arrested the two. Of the total Rs 1.06 crore, Rs 68 lakh was transferred to Satish’s bank account and Harish had pocketed Rs 30 lakh.
The CB said Satish was previously arrested in a similar scam involving Rs 1.9 crore in Chennai. The NCR Portal revealed 22 complaints against his bank account and six against Harish’s account.
Satish was produced before the SDJM court in Bhubaneswar and remanded in judicial custody. Haris was being brought on transit remand from Kerala. The CB had earlier arrested three accused from Rajasthan, Gujarat and Kerala in connection with the case.
