Thane: Dombivli police bust cyber fraud racket

Police with Madhukar Parate after they recovered R9.5 lakh he lost

The Manpada police in Dombivli have arrested three persons in a cyber fraud case to the tune of Rs 72 lakh. The accused were identified as Sarvesh Kumar, Mahendra Kumar, and Raj Rajput. The Kumars were held from Delhi, while Rajput was arrested from a Goa casino.

The three were traced through the bank accounts that the Kumars were using to make fraudulent transactions. In this instance, former division manager of a well-known bank, and a resident of Khoni Palawa area in Dombivli East, Madhukar Parate, 72, received a call from the fraudsters who lured him with "high returns" on his investments and coaxed him into paying them.

Senior Police Inspector Vijay Kadbane of Manpada police station said the police are probing how Parate's investment information was leaked from the company. The police said, "In February, Parate got a call from an unknown number, informing him about his investments. He was told that his agent had cheated him and that Parate should receive more benefits. When Parate inquired how to get the due amount, he was sent three forms. Then the fraudsters demanded a certain amount from him to reclaim the due benefits. Between February and March, Parate ended up transferring Rs 72 lakh to them. Another Rs 14 lakh were demanded from
Parate, but he ran out of cash. He then turned to his sons, both managers in reputed companies." It was then when one of the sons realised that their father was duped, the police said. "They then filed a complaint in the Manpada police station," said Kadbane.