By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Bhubaneswar CC & EO PS Case No.23, dt.27.01.2025, U/s-318(4)/319(2) BNS R/W Sect 66(D) IT Act turned to U/s-318(4)/319(2)/241/336(2)/336(3)/340(2) BNS r/w Sec. 66 (D) of IT Act.
Brief Fact of the Case:
On 27.01.2025, a complaint was received from Bishnu Prasad Muduli (35), S/o Bholanath Muduli, resident of Dasapur, Andharua, PS-Chandaka, Bhubaneswar UPD, Odisha, PIN-751003. The complainant alleged that a few months ago, he came into contact with an unknown lady via Facebook. Over time, they developed an online friendship and relationship, eventually exchanging mobile numbers. The lady informed him that her brother had sustained a leg fracture and urgently sought financial help.
Based on mutual trust, the complainant transferred a total amount of Rs.8,75,800/- to the accused’s PhonePe number between 11.07.2024 and 20.01.2025. The said number was found to be linked with two bank accounts belonging to the accused. Later, the complainant realized he had been cheated. When he requested the return of his money, the accused not only declined but also impersonated a Police Inspector and threatened to falsely implicate him in a gold theft case.
During the course of the investigation, it was confirmed that both the beneficiary accounts are in the name of the accused. It was also found that she had created a fake WhatsApp account, using the display picture of the Police Officer of Town PS, Keonjhar, and impersonated an Inspector of Police. The WhatsApp number used in the impersonation was also traced to the accused.
Further verification revealed that the PhonePe account through which the funds were received was operated from the accused’s mobile handset. The device- a Mobile Phone was seized from her exclusive possession during the investigation. It was also discovered that the accused had intentionally deleted the WhatsApp account used for impersonation and destroyed the associated SIM card in an attempt to destroy evidence.
The investigation of the case is in progress.
Article Seized:
1.One Mobile Phone.
Advisory:
⮚Please don’t accept friend request from unknown phone numbers and don’t send your hard earned money to the bank accounts of unknown persons. Report any type of Cyber Crime in www.cybercrime.gov.in or by dialing 1930
