ludhiana@hindustantimes.com
The cyber crime police have arrested the alleged mastermind of a sophisticated fraud racket that duped a city-based company of nearly ₹2.5 crore by impersonating its owner through WhatsApp.
The accused, identified as Manvendra Singh, was arrested from Jodhpur in Rajasthan following a multi-state investigation that relied on digital tracking, technical surveillance and financial transaction analysis. Police have already recovered around ₹18 lakh, which has been returned to the victim company, while efforts are underway to trace the remaining amount and arrest other members of the gang.
According to cyber crime station in-charge Satbir Singh and sub-inspector Harinder Pal Singh, investigators found that the accused and his associates had allegedly created a fake business entity and devised an elaborate plan to target a prominent Ludhiana-based firm. The crime took place nearly two months ago, triggering registration of the case at the cyber crime police station.
The SHO added that the fraudsters first gathered details about the company and its owner before contacting the firm’s manager. Using the owner’s photograph and identity details, the accused allegedly created a WhatsApp profile that appeared genuine. They then communicated with the manager through calls and messages, posing as the company owner.
Believing the instructions to be authentic, the manager allegedly transferred nearly ₹2.5 crore into bank accounts controlled by the fraudsters as part of what he believed was a legitimate business transaction. The fraud came to light only after it was discovered that the company owner had never authorised the transfer.
The cyber crime police station traced the digital footprint left behind by the accused and conducted raids at multiple locations in Rajasthan before arresting Manvendra Singh. During the investigation, the police found important clues about the gang’s network, financial channels and modus operandi.
Further, the SHO added that the investigation is now focused on identifying other members of the racket and tracking the flow of the defrauded money through various accounts.
