Bhubaneswar — In a major breakthrough, the Cyber Crime Unit of CID-CB Odisha arrested a man from West Bengal for allegedly defrauding a doctor from Bhubaneswar of over ₹6 crore on the pretext of investment in the share market.
The accused, identified as Tapas Haldar, was arrested from West Bengal and produced before the ACJM Court in Sealdah before being brought to Bhubaneswar on remand.
The case, registered on January 13, 2025 (CID CB Cyber Crime PS Case No. 02), involves charges under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the IT Act, 2000, including Sections 318(4), 319(2), 336(2)(3), 338, 340(2), 61(2), 3(5) BNS and Sections 66-C and 66-D of the IT Act.
Case Details:
- The complainant, a doctor from Bhubaneswar, was promised high returns through investments in IPOs and OTC trading.
- Over a span of 3.5 months, he transferred a staggering ₹6,04,53,000 to 22 different bank accounts as per fraudsters’ instructions.
- The funds were moved layer-by-layer through multiple accounts and withdrawn using cheques, ATMs, or further transfers—an apparent attempt to launder the funds and obscure the money trail.
Investigation and Arrests:
- The operation was led by Inspector Gitanjali Jena, who had earlier arrested two accused, Ashok Nanda (Siliguri) and Jayarani Basak.
- The latest arrest of Tapas Haldar has added another link in the chain.
- He was presented before SDJM, Bhubaneswar, today.
Seized Evidence Includes:
- Mobile phone and SIM cards
- WhatsApp chat screenshots
- Aadhaar and PAN cards
- Bank passbooks, cheque books, debit cards
Authorities have frozen multiple bank accounts linked to the fraudsters as part of the ongoing investigation.
This case highlights the growing trend of sophisticated cyber investment fraud and the need for vigilance when dealing with online financial schemes.
