In a major cybercrime breakthrough, police have arrested three men accused of cheating an investor out of nearly Rs22 lakh through a fraudulent online investment scheme. The suspects, inspired by crime-based web series, reportedly used a sophisticated digital network to execute their plan.
The accused — Prabhat Vajpayee, Mohammad Abas Khan, and Arpit Mishra — allegedly created fake social media groups that promised high returns from stock market investments. Their victim, Rohit, was lured into opening a so-called “Direct Market Account,” believing it would yield lucrative profits.
After Rohit noticed inconsistencies and suspected fraud, a police investigation was launched. Officers tracked down and arrested two of the suspects in Ghaziabad and Imphal East, seizing multiple mobile phones, SIM cards, and debit cards used in the operation. The third accomplice, Arpit Mishra, was later apprehended in Siliguri.
Authorities are now expanding the probe to uncover the full extent of the cyber fraud network and identify other possible victims.
