New Delhi: Continuing sustained drive to nab cyber fraudsters in line with directions of senior officers, Police Station Cyber North District has busted a fake online air-ticket gang and arrested two accused persons namely Pravin Tiwari r/o Baharaich (UP), age 34 years and Rohit Kumar @ Raj r/o Rewari (Haryana), age 34 years. The police team has also recovered a gold chain purchased from cheated amount and Rs 61,267/- cheated money was also seized in bank account.
A complaint from Shri Ramesh Chandra, age-55 years, (Who is a professor in Delhi University) was received at Police Station Cyber North on 29.03.2022, alleging therein that he was intending to travel to Canada to attend an official programme in first week of April, 2022. On 23.03.2022, his student Ms XXXXX Singh made an enquiry on his behalf about travel tickets on Sulekha App and after some time she received multiple calls for bookings. She purportedly settled on a good deal with a fictitious agent named Pravin Tiwari who booked the tickets for KLM Airlines and sent copies on her whatsapp. Thereafter, as per agent’s instructions Rs 1,49,730/- were deposited in bank A/C. However, later on when he (complainant) cross checked the details of booked ticket through KLM airlines, he found that the tickets were cancelled. Efforts made to contact the agent were in vain as his phone was switched off.
Subsequently, a case vide FIR No. 31/22, dated 11.04.2022,u/s 420/34 IPC was registered at PS Cyber North and investigation into the same was initiated.
After registration of FIR, investigation of the case was taken up. A dedicated police team comprising of SI Sandeep Shrivastava, SI Richa, W/HC Sunita, HC Naveen, HC Arjun, Ct Bijender and Ct Akash was formed, under the close supervision of Inspr. Pawan Tomar, SHO/PS Cyber North and guidance of Shri Keshav Kumar Nihal, ACP/DIU North District to nab the culprits.
During investigation it was also revealed that accused persons have cheated several other persons through same modus operandi and therefore the police team also contacted other victims to find other clues. After sustained efforts the team managed to locate the accused in CCTV footage in Gurugram, Haryana. Connecting several leads, the team finally zeroed in the location of accused persons in Zirakpur (Punjab) and raid was conducted at their hideouts at Zirakpur, but the accused persons had left the premises a day before the police team could reach there.
However the police team got a clue that marriage engagement ceremony (Sagai) of accused Pravin Tiwari was fixed on 14th April at Baharich (Uttar Pradesh). Immediately, running on the heels of accused persons, the police team rushed to Baharich, Uttar Pradesh, wherein both the accused persons were apprehended on 14.04.2022. Later, at their instance, 01 gold chain (weighing 05 gm.), 01 Pan-drive, 04 Smart mobile phones, 08 SIM Cards, 10 ATM Cards, 01 Bajaj Finance Card, 03 Cheque books and 01 Pass book have been recovered from the house of accused Pravin Tiwari.
After the arrest of both the accused persons Pravin Tiwari, age-34 years and Rohit Kumar @ Raj, age-34 years, they were interrogated thoroughly. It was disclosed that accused Pravin Tiwari met with co-accused Rohit Kumar @ Raj in Pune Maharastra during the year 2016 and both started working as travel agents. However, due to Corona pandemic they suffered losses and few months ago shifted to Zirakpur, Punjab and hatched a plan to cheat prospective passengers. Thereafter, the accused persons registered themselves as agents on Sulekha App through fictitious mobile numbers for getting leads on air tickets related enquiries. Upon getting such leads through Sulekha App, they would offer best deals to induce prospective flyers and after striking the deal they would send them copy of booked air-tickets through Whats App and would receive payments. After duping intending flyers, they used to cancel the tickets and switch off their phones.
DETAIL OF ACCUSED PERSONS:
Pravin Tiwari r/o Nai Basti Bagiya, Piyagpur, Behraich, Uttar Pradesh, age-34 years. (He has been studied up to 10th standard and is unmarried. His previous antecedents are being verified).
Rohit Kumar @ Raj r/o Shiv Colony, Kosli, Rewari, Haryana, age-34 years. (He is a graduate and married. His previous antecedents are being verified).
RECOVERY:
01 gold chain (weighing 05 gm) purchased from the cheated amount.
01 Pan-drive.
04 Smart mobile phones & 08 SIM Cards.
10 ATM Cards of different banks & 01 Bajaj Finance Company Card.
03 Cheque books.
01 Pass book of Karnatka Bank.
Further investigation of the case is in progress and efforts are being made to link recover mobile phones and bank accounts with other victims.
