Police sources said the suspect is yet to be traced.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru: A man duped a person of Rs 6.28 lakh, claiming to be with a company endorsed by the prime minister, police officials said on Monday.
The victim said the suspect, Datta Prasad, invited him and many others on October 25, 2023, to a hotel in Padmanabhanagar. “Prasad told us that he was the Bengaluru head of Senee Traders, an international commercial organisation that invests in new energy projects as desired by the prime minister,” the victim said in his police complaint.
Prasad convinced the gathering at the hotel to invest with Senee Traders, promising additional commission if they bring in more investors. “Many sent him money online, while some sent cash,” the victim alleged, saying he invested Rs 6,28,609 through multiple transactions.
Although Prasad showed them that their investment is earning profits, he neither returned the principal nor credited the gains.
Having waited for several weeks and realising that it was an elaborate swindle, the victim filed a police complaint on January 27, 2024. A case has been registered under sections 66D (punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource) and 66C (punishment for identity theft) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, and Section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Police sources said the suspect is yet to be traced. “We have reached out to the banks for transaction details,” an officer told DH. “The victim also informed the cybercrime helpline, so the transferred money will be frozen. We will continue our investigation.”