Valsad district police said on Friday that three more wanted accused have been arrested in a cyber fraud case in which a 76-year-old man was allegedly cheated of more than Rs 19.60 lakh by a gang posing as an Aghori baba and a guru, promising divine blessings and the doubling of his money, IANS reported. The arrests were made from Virpur in Mahisagar district following an investigation by the Valsad Cyber Crime Police Station.

The arrested men have been identified as Mahboob Sheikh (23), Sarfaraz Pathan (39) and Sahilmiya Sheikh (23). Police said the fraud took place on April 29, when unidentified persons contacted the complainant's 76-year-old father through the internet, posing as an Aghori baba and a guru. They allegedly promised that he would receive the blessings of the goddess and that his money, which was held up, would be doubled, then gave him details of different bank accounts and persuaded him to transfer money into them, cheating him of Rs 19,60,500 in all. The allegations are yet to be tested in court.

A case was registered at the Valsad Cyber Crime Police Station under Sections 318(4) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act. Police had earlier arrested five accused in the case, while six others were declared wanted.

How the three were traced to Virpur

On October 26, Police Sub-Inspector D.S. Patel received information that one of the wanted accused, Mahboob Sheikh, a resident of Virpur, had been spotted near Dev Chowk in Balasinor. Police said Mahboob Sheikh is employed and resides opposite Yogeshwar Park Society in Virpur, while Sahilmiya Sheikh runs a pan shop near Desai CM High School in the town. Further interrogation of the three arrested accused is underway, police said.

Police advised victims of cyber fraud, and anyone receiving suspicious calls or messages, to contact the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or approach the nearest police station.

Source: IANS via HiIndia