J&K Crime Branch files charge sheet naming Arunachal woman in online fraud case
Srinagar, Dec 24
The J&K Police's Crime Branch said on Wednesday that it has filed the charge sheet in the court pertaining to the Rs 26 lakh international impersonation fraud case.
A statement by the Crime Branch Kashmir said, "The Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Crime Branch Kashmir, on Wednesday filed a charge sheet before the Hon'ble Court of Judge Small Causes, Srinagar, in connection with FIR No. 17/2020, registered under Sections 419, 420, 468, 471 RPC and Section 66-D of the Information Technology Act."
The charge sheet has been submitted against the accused Jumbom Riba, a resident of Village Pagi in District Lepa Rada of Arunachal Pradesh, for her alleged involvement in a sophisticated online cheating and impersonation racket involving international dimensions.
The case originated from a written complaint wherein the complainant alleged that he was contacted through social media by a woman identifying herself as Christiana, claiming to be a Secretary with Abbot Pharmaceutical, United Kingdom. On the pretext of offering dealership rights for a product named "Agasina Nut", purportedly sourced from Arunachal Pradesh, the complainant was induced with promises of high profits and an international purchase agreement.
"Acting on these assurances, the complainant transferred approximately Rs 26.25 lakh into multiple bank accounts. The fraud was further facilitated through a staged and fake demonstration of currency conversion, leading to substantial financial loss," the statement mentioned.
During the investigation, EOW Kashmir established that the accused used forged and non-genuine identity documents, including fake voter ID cards, to open multiple bank accounts in the names of Tabu Juli and Aisha Kholi across various banks. These accounts were operated by the accused herself and were used for routing, diversion, and withdrawal of funds. Transaction analysis revealed rapid inter-bank transfers and cash withdrawals, with no legitimate source of income to justify the credits.
"The investigation conclusively proved offences of cheating, impersonation, forgery, and use of forged documents as genuine. Accordingly, the investigation has been concluded as proved, and the charge sheet has been produced in absentia under Section 512 CrPC for judicial determination. Economic Offences Wing Kashmir urges people to remain alert so that they do not fall prey to fraudsters online & offline,", the statement added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's shocking to see the scale of this fraud. Rs 26 lakh is a life-changing amount for many families. The accused used fake IDs so easily... our banking system's KYC process needs to be more robust to prevent such misuse. 😟
While the police action is commendable, I have to ask: how did the complainant get convinced to transfer such a huge sum for a product named "Agasina Nut"? Sometimes greed for high profits blinds common sense. We must educate our elders especially about these scams.
The international dimension is worrying. "Christiana from Abbot UK" sounds so legitimate. These fraudsters are very sophisticated. Glad to see cross-state coordination between J&K and Arunachal Pradesh police. Hope she is brought to justice soon.
This is a classic case. Promise huge returns, use a foreign company name, and create a sense of urgency. My uncle almost fell for a similar scam last year. Sharing this article in my family WhatsApp group right now. Awareness is key!
Feel sorry for the victim, but also a bit frustrated. At some point, we as citizens have to take responsibility. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. No legitimate business asks for money upfront like this. Let's be smart, India.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.