Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur

Kundapur, Jul 1: The Kundapur police have succeeded in cracking a case of cyber crime by arresting a gang of online fraudsters from Allahabad with the help of Uttar Pradesh police.

The accused, who allegedly duped gullible investors of several lacs of rupees by promising double returns through an advertisement on a website, were brought to Kundapur and produced in court on Tuesday June 30.

In January this year, Naveen Adiga of Vandar here had filed a complaint with Kundapur police in which he stated that he had come across an advertisement about a finance scheme by a foreign-based firm registered under the name of 'Satnam' and 'Index Traders', and trusting their credentials, he had deposited some amount through his account in a nationalised bank in Kundapur. However, he did not get any returns as promised and also lost the money he had deposited, he stated in the complaint.

Each time he deposited some amount, he would get an email with an image of a cheque of a nationalised bank, showing that his investment had been doubled. This way, the fraudsters tried to win his confidence, Naveen had stated in the complaint. "The firm tried to make the investors believe that their deposits had been doubled by giving online statements this way," he alleged.

The Kundapur police, led by circle inspector Diwakar P M, registered the case under cyber crime laws and investigated thoroughly. A detailed investigation was conducted into the firm's registration and documents, and the police thus unravelled the online fraud. It came to light that the fraudsters who were operating in the name of a foreign-based firm were actually based at Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. Without wasting any time, the Kundapur police under the direction of Udupi SP Annamalai K, additional superintendent of police, Santoshkumar and DySP Manjunath Shetty contacted the UP police, and with their help, caught hold of the accused.

The alleged fraudsters, identified as Sandeep, Arjith and Shivam, were first arrested by the UP police, produced in court, whereupon they were remanded in judicial custody. The police then sought permission from the local court in Allahabad to escort the accused to Kundapur for further investigation. After the court upheld the request, 15 armed police personnel of Kundapur police travelled to Allahabad and brought the accused here under tight security. The accused were then produced in court in here.

The accused pleaded in the court to allow them to be represented through a lawyer. Accordingly, the court permitted them to arrange for a lawyer by July 3, before remanding them in judicial custody.