A man named Ashish Ashok Patel has been apprehended by the MIDC police for allegedly defrauding a young man of approximately five lakhs through an online scam promising lucrative returns on mutual fund investments. The investigation has also brought to light the involvement of several more individuals in these fraudulent activities, prompting the police to initiate a dedicated operation to apprehend them.
The 31-year-old complainant, employed as a program manager in a private company based in Andheri, became ensnared in this scheme. On April 16, he received a message via the Telegram app from a profile named "Joyce," which claimed that investing in mutual funds would yield returns ranging from 30 to 35 percent. Subsequently, another individual, Prakash, contacted him with a similar proposition, outlining investment opportunities. Trusting the representation, the complainant proceeded to invest around five lakhs across various bank accounts.
The following day, he was coerced into considering additional investments. When he expressed an inability to invest further due to lack of funds, Prakash issued an ultimatum: invest the additional amount or risk forfeiting any returns on the initial five-lakh investment. Attempting to communicate with Prakash, the complainant discovered that the mobile number was switched off and the Telegram ID had been deleted.
Upon realising that he had fallen victim to a fraudulent scheme, the complainant promptly notified the MIDC police. Subsequently, the police registered a case against the unidentified perpetrator under IT sections relating to fraud. As the investigation unfolded, Ashish Patel was apprehended for questioning based on technical evidence. His involvement in the fraudulent activities was established, leading to his subsequent arrest by the police.
The ongoing investigation aims to uncover the full extent of the network involved in this online investment fraud, with the authorities diligently pursuing the other suspects identified during the course of the probe.
