Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Nov 12: A 43-year-old man has lodged a complaint with the CEN Crime Police Station alleging that he was cheated of more than Rs 2 crore in an online investment scam by a group posing as company representatives.

The complainant stated that on May 1, 2022, an unknown person contacted him via WhatsApp, introducing himself as Ankit from a company. The person told him that if he invested money, he would receive double returns and profits. Ankit further claimed that his partners – Sumit Jaiswal, Kushagar Jain and Akhil – invested funds abroad to earn higher profits.

“Ankit assured me over a WhatsApp call that there was no risk or fraud involved and that my investment would be safe,” the complainant said. Trusting Ankit’s words, he transferred Rs 3,500 through a QR scanner provided by him. On the same day, he received Rs 1,000 as profit.

Encouraged by the initial return, the complainant said he invested more money over time.

Funds were transferred in stages from his various bank accounts as well as from accounts of his uncle, wife and niece. He alleged that between May 2022 and August 29 , he transferred a total of over Rs 2 cr to various bank accounts via UPI and IMPS transactions.

In the past three months, despite repeatedly messaging and calling the accused on WhatsApp, he received no response. When he contacted Ankit demanding a refund, Ankit reportedly revealed that Kushagar Jain, Akhil and Sumit Jaiswal had obtained money fraudulently and that he had withdrawn from the partnership.

The complainant alleged that the trio later called him on WhatsApp, threatening that they would not return any money and warning that if he lodged a complaint, he would be killed. Frightened, the complainant informed his family and approached the police.