The Commissionerate Police in Odisha have busted an organised gang of cybercriminals involved in a major inter-state Telegram investment scam, arresting seven persons, including three main culprits and four employees of private banks. Police have also frozen bank accounts worth over Rs90 lakh linked to the scam.
The arrested accused include:
Bablu Nayak (27), Balikuda
Rudra Madhab Mohapatra (23), BTech student from Tirtol, Jagatsinghpur
Pannaga Narayan Dash (25), Mahanga, Cuttack
Harekrushna Sahoo (30), relationship manager, Utkarsha Small Finance Bank
Abhisek Mohanty (31), deputy manager, Bandhan Bank
Debasish Mallick (32), PRO, Axis Bank
Swaraj Kumar Samal (32), assistant branch manager, Suryodaya Small Finance Bank, Dolamundai
Briefing the media, Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh said the gang operated through a network of fake companies like Mahakali Constructions Pvt Ltd and Priya Fintech, using mule bank accounts to siphon crores of rupees from victims.
The gang reportedly bought SIM cards and bank accounts by bribing both bank officials and common people. Some bank authorities and SIM sellers also allegedly helped bypass KYC checks, allowing the criminals to open current accounts under fake company registrations to keep their operations active.
Police investigations are ongoing to trace the full network of victims, mule accounts, and accomplices involved in the scam.
