PHAGWARA: The Bholath police have registered a criminal case involving a large-scale online investment fraud, in which a local resident was allegedly cheated of more than ₹53.78 lakh through a cyber scam. The case has been registered under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 66-C and 66-D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, against an unidentified accused.
Senior Superintendent of the Police Kapurthala Gaurav Toora IPS while confirming it told here today that, the complaint was lodged by Balwinder Singh, a resident of Bholath who alleged that an unknown person induced him to download a mobile application on his smartphone under the guise of a lucrative investment opportunity. The accused allegedly assured high and quick returns, thereby gaining the complainant’s trust.
Believing the representations made by the accused, the complainant reportedly transferred a total amount of ₹53, 78, 712.60 through online transactions over a period of time. However, when the promised returns did not materialize and communication with the accused became impossible, the complainant realized that he had been defrauded. Subsequently, he approached the police and provided details of the transactions and digital communications related to the alleged fraud.
The police have confirmed that the accused remains unidentified at this stage and no arrests have been made so far. No recoveries have been reported at the time of registration of the case. A formal investigation has been initiated to trace the digital trail, identify the perpetrators involved, and ascertain whether the fraud is linked to a larger cybercrime network.
SSP Toora has reiterated their appeal to the public to remain vigilant against unsolicited investment offers circulated through mobile applications, social media platforms, or unknown digital sources. They emphasized that citizens should verify the authenticity of any investment scheme before transferring money and immediately report suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies.