Udupi: Two arrested from Gujarat for Rs 1.33 crore cyber fraud impersonating customs and police officers

Udupi: Two arrested from Gujarat for Rs 1.33 crore cyber fraud impersonating customs and police officers

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, August 25, 2024: The Udupi CEN Police have arrested two individuals from Gujarat in connection with a cybercrime involving impersonation of customs and police officers, resulting in the swindling of Rs 1.33 crore from a 53-year-old man under the pretense of a FedEx courier. The police have recovered Rs 13.95 lakh and five mobile phones from the suspects.

Udupi Superintendent of Police Dr. Arun K identified the arrested individuals as Navadia Mukeshbhai Ganeshbhai, 44, from Surat, and Dharamjeet Kamlesh Chauhan, 28, from Rajkot, Gujarat.

The complainant, Arun Kumar, reported that on July 29, he received a call from an unknown number claiming to be a customs official. The caller falsely alleged that a FedEx courier booked using Kumar’s Aadhaar number contained five passports, five ATM cards, 200 grams of MDMA, and $5,000. When Kumar denied booking any courier, the fraudsters connected him to someone posing as a senior police officer, who falsely informed him that his Aadhaar card was linked to several bank accounts used by terrorists to purchase SIM cards.

The victim was placed under "virtual arrest" and monitored via Skype. Following the ’officers’’ instructions, he was confined to a room in his house from July 29 to August 9 and was directed to transfer money to various bank accounts to resolve the fabricated case. Based on his complaint, the Udupi CEN Police registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the BNS.

A special police team led by Inspector Ramachandra Nayak, including PSI Ashok and officers Praveen Shettigar, Rajesh, Arun Kumar, Yateen Kumar, Raghavendra Karkada, Dikshit, Prashant, Mutteppa Adin, Mayappa Gadade, Parashuram, and Sudeep, was formed to investigate the case. Sources stated that the police closely monitored the bank accounts involved in the scam and acted swiftly when the funds were withdrawn, leading to the suspects’ arrests.