The investigation of the city police in an online fraud and blackmail case has recently led them to Rs 58.36 lakh in cash. They have seized the cash, which is likely to be of hawala or some sort other bigger racket, DCP Zone I Anurag Jain told reporters on Monday.
Police have booked nine people in the case and have arrested eight of them. The mastermind remains at large. Pratap Nagar police had received a complaint from a pharmaceutical company employee, Sahil Chavhan, that he and his friend, Shubham Kalbande, were duped of Rs 10.90 lakh in an online fraud.
Chavhan had found an Instagram account Vikrant Exchange which showed that an investor will get 9% interest for depositing money for 3 days. Chavhan informed Kalbande about this and the two invested Rs 10.90 lakh. They sent some money online to the account of Mure Gruh Udyog Firm while the rest of the money was given in cash. However, after three days when the accused did not return the money with interest, Chavhan called Vikrant Exchange where someone asked him to deposit more money to get his earlier money back. Chavhan then approached the police.
The cops later laid a trap and asked Kalbande to contact Vikrant Exchange with an offer of more money. This brought out some of the accused and they were nabbed by police. Cops raided a flat at Quetta Colony where the accused were living and found Rs 58.36 lakh cash and two cash counting machines.
The arrested accused are Rohit Patel, Arjun Rathod, Dharmendra Wala, Nileshkumar Dave, Vishnubhai Patel, Viram Singh Rathod, Vikram Singh Waghale and Jaroba Waghale.