Rourkela: With the arrest of yet another suspect from Uttar Pradesh, Rourkela police have made a significant breakthrough in investigation into an international cybercrime syndicate based out of South-East Asian countries and having links to various Asian countries.
IG (Western Range) Brijesh Rai, along with SP Nitesh Wadhwani and the investigation team, while briefing the media on the operation said that around 14 arrests have been made between January and August in 2024 in connection with the racket, many of whom were found to be operating out of Cambodia.
Probe into the case was initiated after a senior Central government offi cial reported a fraud of Rs67.7 lakh involving a fake trading app masquerading as the legitimate SEBI-registered entity INDIRA Securities.
“This case has far-reaching consequences, encompassing stock market fraud, scams via dating apps, cryptocurrency fraud, human trafficking, and cyber slavery, posing a threat to national security,” said the senior officer. The investigation, which began earlier this year, attracted the attention of the Home Ministry and other Central security agencies due to its international scope.
Also Read: Four people killed, 40 injured as bus overturns in Odisha’s Koraput
Look Out Circulars were issued against more than 15 people involved in the scam. Based on the LOC, the Odisha Crime Branch and the Uttar Pradesh Police managed to nab a key accused December 28. The accused has worked in multiple roles in Cambodia and India.
A major concern for authorities was the fate of over 1,000 Indian nationals who had been trafficked and were trapped in Cambodia, unable to return home as their passports had been seized and they lacked the means to travel back.
PNN
