In a major breakthrough, the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate arrested six individuals from Balangir district for allegedly defrauding a man of Rs 78 lakh through a fake trading app scam promising high returns.
The accused—Bijaya Kumar Meher (28), Bishwambhar Kharsel (27), Rajesh Tandi (20), Anil Naik (21), Sritam Meher (19), and Dipak Dharua (24)—all residents of Balangir, were caught following a complaint lodged on April 24 at the Cyber Police Station.
The victim reported being lured by a Telegram user posing as “Priya Bajaj” (@good_priya), who convinced him to invest in a fraudulent stock trading platform with promises of extraordinary profits. Between February and April 2025, the complainant transferred money totaling Rs 78 lakh to multiple bank accounts across different banks, including Kotak Mahindra, DBS, IDFC, Axis, and Bandhan Bank.
Despite the fraudsters’ use of VPNs and foreign IP addresses, cyber investigators traced key digital evidence such as login details and ATM footage. A special police team, supported by Balangir police, tracked and arrested the suspects.
Police revealed the group operated a sophisticated cyber racket, utilizing fake Telegram profiles and fake bank accounts to funnel money. Victims were also persuaded to invest in USDT (Tether cryptocurrency), adding a layer of cryptocurrency fraud to their scam.
The police continue to investigate the full extent of the racket and urge investors to remain cautious of high-return investment promises.
