Sambalpur: A 52-year-old doctor, identified as Bimal Krushna Panda, fell victim to an online stock investment scam, losing a staggering Rs 1.8 crore. The fraud came to light when Panda filed an FIR with the cybercrime police on January 27.
The incident unfolded when Panda was contacted by a man named Sanjay Sharma on an instant messaging platform, who encouraged him to invest in stocks. Sharma directed Panda to join an investment portal, where he was later added to a special group. There, he communicated with an individual named Mr. Ted, who posed as a local guide for investments.
Following Ted’s guidance, Panda transferred money from three of his bank accounts to various accounts provided by the fraudster. In the initial phase, Panda was able to withdraw a small sum of Rs 2,000, but when he attempted to withdraw a larger amount, the app refused and demanded further deposits. Sensing something was wrong, Panda attempted to contact the group admin but was unsuccessful.
Suspicious of the situation, Panda reported the matter to the national cybercrime reporting portal and later filed an FIR with the cybercrime police. The case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
So far, the police have managed to recover over Rs 50 lakh of the total amount lost.
