Fraud dupes bank, remanded to custody
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 17 2023:
A fraud who impersonated the proprietor of Tiddim Motors and duped SBI MG Avenue Branch into transferring Rs 16,79,253 to different accounts has been remanded in judicial custody till May 1 .
The accused identified as Naveen Kumar Rawal (34) s/o Subhash Singh Rawal of Jaitpur Vaispur Tilapta Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh was produced before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West today after completion of the police custody period along with a prayer for judicial custody remand by a team of Cyber Crime Police Station, Manipur.
Through an APP, the IO of the case submitted that the ADM of SBI, MG Avenue Branch filed a complaint on October 18 last year.
According to the complaint, the ADM received a call through mobile phone from one individual who claimed himself to be Philem Rajesh, proprietor of Tiddim Motors Manipur at around 12.30 pm of October 18 last year.
As the True Caller application showed the name of the caller as Philem Rajesh, the ADM continued the conversation believing the unknown person to be Philem Rajesh and the person asked for provisions of fixed deposit.
Again on the same day at around 1 pm, the same person contacted the ADM and he informed that he had exhausted his cheque book and he needed to perform an RTGS transaction to a beneficiary account.
The unknown man informed the complainant that an email would be sent regarding the beneficiary account and the amount to be deposited.
Subsequently, the ADM received two emails asking the bank to transfer an amount of Rs 8,95,161 and Rs 7,84,092 to the accounts of Naveen Kumar Rawal and Poonam respectively.
Convinced that the unknown person was Philem Rajesh, the complainant transferred the amount as per the request in two transactions.
The complainant received another email from the same person later in the day requesting transfer of funds to two other accounts.
On receiving repeated requests, the complainant got suspicious and refrained from transferring any more funds.
Subsequently, an enquiry was initiated followed by registration of a regular case at Cyber Crime Police Station, Manipur.
During the enquiry, requisition was sent to Branch Manager, ICICI Bank, Connaught Place, New Delhi and Branch Manager, ICICI Bank, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh to provide details of the transaction and also to provide details of the account holder and also to freeze the bank account.
It was learnt that one of the ICICI Bank accounts was registered in the name of accused Naveen Kumar Rawal.
On examination of the fraud's bank account, it was found that an amount of Rs 4,50,000 had been withdrawn through ATM transaction while Rs 2,44,600 had been transferred to an unknown HDFC account.
The ICICI Bank account was found registered in the name of Poonam w/o Kalua of Bhannataga Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh and it was found that Rs 4,50,000 had been withdrawn through ATM transaction.
During further investigation, a WT message for verification of the character and antecedents of the suspected persons were sent to the police stations concerned and a reply was received from Cyber Crime Police, 36 sector Noida stating that the particulars of the persons and addresses are true.
Later, a team of Cyber Crime Police Station, Manipur was deputed to arrest the suspected persons on April 3 .
On reaching Gautam Buddha Nagar, the State Cyber Crime police team coordinated with the district police and Cyber Crime Police Station, 36 Sector Noida and the accused and his family members were brought to Surajpur police station.
During interrogation it was found that the particular ICICI account belonged to the accused and mobile phone linked with the bank account was also used by him.
Subsequently, he was arrested and brought to Imphal.
Saying that the investigation of the case is in the initial stage, the IO prayed for remanding the accused in judicial custody.The Court, on perusal of the case record and after hearing the submission of the IO, remanded the accused in judicial custody till May 1 .
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