Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, June 29: In a major breakthrough against cybercrime, the Mangaluru City Central Crime Police have arrested a 29-year-old man from Banavasi, located in Uttara Kannada district, for allegedly defrauding a car buyer of Rs 2.5 lac through a fraudulent listing on the popular online marketplace, OLX.
The accused, identified as Ravichandra Manjunath Revannakar, reportedly posed as a car seller and convinced the victim to transfer money, after which he vanished without delivering the vehicle.
The case has been registered under Crime No. 28/2025 at the Central Crime Station in Mangaluru. The police have invoked Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, along with Sections 318(4), 3(5), and 112 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Following a complaint from the defrauded buyer, investigators launched a probe and tracked the accused to Hosapete in Vijayanagara district, where he was located and apprehended.
A special investigation team, already present in the area on a separate assignment, was deployed to arrest Ravichandra. He was then brought to Mangaluru for detailed interrogation.
During questioning, police uncovered a web of deceit stretching back three years, during which Ravichandra allegedly operated a sophisticated online fraud network targeting people searching for vehicles on OLX.
Key findings from the investigation revealed that he had managed 21 bank accounts and used at least 8 different SIM cards to facilitate his scams. Authorities have linked over 80 cyber fraud complaints to mobile numbers associated with him.
His modus operandi was meticulous: he would operate each mobile number briefly to dupe victims, dispose of the device and SIM card, and then repeat the scheme using new credentials. This allowed him to evade detection while continuing to deceive unsuspecting buyers.
Ravichandra was produced before a court in Mangaluru on Saturday, June 29. Police believe there may be more victims and possibly other individuals involved in the operation. The investigation is ongoing to trace all leads.
The arrest was made possible due to the coordinated efforts of officers from the Mangaluru Central Crime police station, under the guidance of senior officials.
The authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant while engaging in online transactions, particularly when dealing with unverified sellers.
The police have also encouraged victims of similar scams to come forward, and have reminded citizens to verify seller credentials before making payments on online platforms.