Daijiworld Media Network – Davanagere

Davanagere, Oct 10: In a major breakthrough, the Davanagere CEN police have arrested an interstate cyber fraudster accused of siphoning off Rs 52.6 lac from a building contractor’s bank account through net banking.

The accused has been identified as Syed Arfat, a resident of Shantigram in Belur taluk, Hassan district. Police said efforts are on to nab the main accused involved in the racket.

According to reports, H H Pramod, a resident of Nittuvalli, had lodged a complaint after Rs 52,60,523 was fraudulently transferred from his account. The CEN police launched an investigation, tracked down Arfat, and recovered cash and a mobile phone from his possession before producing him in court.

Investigations revealed shocking details — the accused’s bank account had handled nearly Rs 150 crore in online fraud transactions between July 27 and August 19, out of which Rs 132 crore had already been withdrawn. Police have frozen Rs 18 crore still remaining in the account. As per court orders, Rs 52,60,400 was refunded to complainant Pramod.

Arfat is also suspected to be involved in several cyber fraud cases registered in Ghaziabad, Srinagar, Eluru, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Davanagere. He is believed to have operated across multiple states, running a network of online scams.

District Superintendent of Police Uma Prashanth, additional SP Parameshwar Hegde, CEN DySP Bankaali Nagappa, inspector Vasanth, and team members Ashok, Suresh, Mutturaj, Nijalingappa, and Anjinappa have been lauded for their commendable work in the investigation and arrest.