Two from Punjab held for duping Delhi woman of Rs 21 lakh in online scam

Two men from Punjab have been arrested by Delhi Police for allegedly duping a woman of Rs 21 lakh in an online investment scam operated in collaboration with foreign handlers, officials said on Thursday.

The accused, Pawan (29) from Chandigarh and Mankiraat (36) from Firozpur, were apprehended from a rented flat in Mohali’s Sunny Enclave after investigators tracked their digital footprint. Police said both men had travelled to Nepal as part of the criminal operation, which was being orchestrated under the guidance of Chinese nationals.

A host of incriminating evidence was recovered from them, including an ATM card, passbook, chequebook, SIM card linked to the fraudulent account, and the mobile phone used in the crime. Hotel bills and flight tickets related to their Nepal trip were also seized.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said the case came to light after a complaint was filed by Meenakshi Sharma, a resident of Ashok Vihar in Delhi. She reported being conned by fraudsters who promised high returns on stock market investments.

“The accused shared a fake trading app with her, which mimicked the interface of a legitimate brokerage platform and displayed manipulated profits and transactions,” DCP Singh said.

Believing the returns to be genuine, Sharma transferred Rs 21 lakh in three instalments to the scammers’ bank accounts. She was in contact with the fraudsters only through social media platforms.

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Investigations revealed that Pawan had been in touch with Chinese nationals via social media and was supplying them with bank accounts opened in the names of unsuspecting individuals for a commission. Mankiraat, who was facing financial troubles, had opened an account in his wife’s name by forging address details. This account was later used to receive the siphoned funds.

The duo allegedly received the money in Nepal with assistance from their foreign handlers, police said, adding that further investigations are ongoing to trace the wider network involved.

(With nputs from PTI)