In Berhampur, nine individuals were arrested on Thursday in connection with the kidnapping of Sheikh Suleiman Ali, a youth accused of defrauding approximately Rs 4 crore from nearly 150 local investors in the Khaja Sahi area.
The arrested individuals include Sheikh Altaf (32) of Harsha Vihar, Mohammad Sattar alias Imran (39) from Golia Sahi, and Syed Noor Muhammad (30), also from Golia Sahi. A separate group involved in the incident, including Mansoor Bagh (41), Syed Ehsan, and Sheikh Azim (33), were also apprehended.
The scam began when Ali, a resident of Patra Peta Sahi, lured locals to invest in an online trading scheme, promising high returns. Around 150 investors pooled in an estimated Rs 4 crore, but as the returns failed to materialize, a group of youths kidnapped Ali to demand repayment.
Upon receiving a tip-off, the Town Police Station launched a rescue operation and freed Ali from Digapahandi. Initially, three individuals were arrested for the kidnapping. The situation escalated when a scuffle broke out between the two groups over the return of the invested funds, resulting in the arrest of six additional suspects.
The investigation is ongoing, as authorities continue to probe the case and work on recovering the defrauded money.
