Sambalpur Police have apprehended four individuals, including Prasanta Meher, in connection with a complex cyber fraud case where a resident of Ainthapali and his family were defrauded of Rs 88 lakh. The accused—Prasanta Meher, Krushna Sahu, Subrat Pradhan, and Biswalit Nayak—allegedly operated a sophisticated scheme targeting investors.
The victim, Ramesh Chandra Biswal, reportedly encountered a fraudulent website while researching stock market advice, which redirected him to a WhatsApp group called ‘Shah Investment Team’ run by someone named Rohan Shah. Convinced by the group, Biswal invested through a platform named ‘Calvert Demat,’ which falsely claimed SEBI registration.
Police investigations uncovered that the accused used fake websites, WhatsApp groups, and counterfeit investment accounts to deceive victims. Authorities seized 21 ATM debit cards, nine smartphones, three bank passbooks, four cheque books, and a Maruti Suzuki WagonR car during the operation.
Further, police froze Rs 12,55,545 in bank accounts, recovered Rs 2,50,000 in cash, and held Rs 7,52,121 in NCRP accounts linked to the suspects.
Sambalpur Police have cautioned the public to remain vigilant when approached with online investment offers, especially those involving foreign stocks or cryptocurrencies. They advised verifying all financial platforms through official SEBI or RBI portals.
Investigations are ongoing, and police expect more arrests as they probe deeper into the fraudulent network.
