A 19-year-old individual hailing from Rajasthan has been apprehended by the Delhi Police on charges of defrauding individuals through false promises of lucrative returns on cryptocurrency investments, as per an official statement released on Friday. The teenager, identified as Narendra Choudhary, resides in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan and is known to have carried out fraudulent activities in collaboration with an absconding minor. Their modus operandi involved reaching out to people via WhatsApp and Telegram.
Sources have revealed that Choudhary operates a mobile phone repair and accessories shop. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Sagar Singh Kalsi, stated that the cyber police wing received a complaint from Pankaj Verma, the aggrieved party. Verma claimed that on February 21, he joined a Telegram group called ‘Nifty Prediction Telegram Channel’, wherein he learned about the prospects of high returns by investing in cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, and marketing and mutual funds.
Within the group, a mobile phone number was shared for those interested in investing. Verma contacted the number and began receiving messages via WhatsApp. The individual behind these messages identified himself as Bonesh Meena and instructed Verma to transfer Rs 10,000 to a specified UPI ID. Trusting Meena, Verma complied with the instructions, stated the DCP.
Meena subsequently messaged Verma on WhatsApp, requesting an additional Rs 6,000 as GST for a month and provided a different UPI ID for the payment. Verma made the payment of Rs 6,000 via Paytm as instructed. Soon after, Meena called Verma once again, claiming that the profits had been secured and demanded Rs 12,000 as a commission. On February 22, Verma transferred Rs 15,000 as software withdrawal charges to Meena via Paytm. Following this, Verma transferred Rs 2,000 to Meena as a commission and was promised returns on the same day, according to the official.
Altogether, Verma made payments totalling Rs 44,000 but did not receive any returns. Moreover, the fraudsters provided Verma with an alternative number/UPI ID for payment and return information. Verma transferred Rs 2,000 via Paytm as a commission. On February 24, the fraudsters blocked Verma’s phone numbers, leading to the cessation of any communication and the absence of returns, as disclosed by the official.
It is crucial to note that the Telegram group mentioned in the complaint is still active. During the investigation, the police conducted continuous surveillance on the suspect mobile numbers, which ultimately led them to the village of Kundera near Sawai Madhopur. Additionally, it was discovered that the Paytm account into which the funds were transferred belonged to Choudhary. Acting on this information, a raid was carried out on Wednesday, resulting in the arrest of Choudhary from his village, the official stated.
During the interrogation, Choudhary admitted to working in collaboration with the juvenile accomplice and revealed that they operated from Kundera village and neighbouring areas. The police officer added that the accused individuals confessed to defrauding unsuspecting victims by enticing them with high returns on cryptocurrency investments.
Disclaimer: Crypto products and NFTs are unregulated and can be highly risky. There may be no regulatory recourse for any loss from such transactions. Cryptocurrency is not a legal tender and is subject to market risks. Readers are advised to seek expert advice and read offer document(s) along with related important literature on the subject carefully before making any kind of investment whatsoever. Cryptocurrency market predictions are speculative and any investment made shall be at the sole cost and risk of the readers.
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