Mumbai: Woman loses over Rs 1 lakh via unknown transaction

The woman approached the police when she realised the money was missing from her account. Representation pic

The Cuffe Parade police recently arrested four people for allegedly siphoning off Rs 40,000 from a woman's account. The matter came to light when the Cuffe Parade resident approached the police to file a complaint when she realised a transaction of Rs 1.20 lakh had taken place from her account without her knowledge. The police are still trying to trace the remaining Rs 80,000.

According to the police, she claimed that she had not shared details of her card or revealed any OTP to anyone. The police also said that she had not received any OTP or a message when the transaction took place. "The woman approached the police on August 7, and we registered an FIR based on the complaint. Of the Rs 1.20 lakh, Rs 40,000 were credited to a Koparkhairane petrol pump," said a police officer from Cuffe Parade police station.

On questioning all the employees at the petrol pump, the police found cashier Manoj Chaudhary, 34, and another employee Deepak Janba, 38, did not give satisfactory answers. During the interrogation later, both of them confessed their involvement in the crime. "The accused used a pay code generated by the petrol pump's app to con customers," said a police officer.

Explaining the fraud, the police officer said, "Their modus operandi was to get access to the pay code generated by the petrol pump's app. Once the pay code was generated, the alleged accused withdrew cash with the help of online transactions. Each took 2 per cent commission.".

Chaudhary and Janba confessed that their associate Aman Singh, 28, had provided them the pay code. Singh, who was also arrested, confessed that another of their associates, Madan Saav, 38, used to encash the money and share the 2 per cent commission with the trio, and send the leftover money to their alleged Jharkhand-based kingpin, Rohan Mondal. The police are trying to trace how Singh got the woman's pay code.

"We are still investigating how the money reached the petrol pump's account through the victim's credit card. More details will be revealed when we arrest the suspected kingpin Rahul Mondal," said a police officer. "We have apprehended four accused, one alleged accused Rahul Mondal will be arrested soon. We are investigating his role in this crime. The four accused have been booked under section 420 (Cheating) and relevant sections of the IT Act," said Senior PI Rajendra Ranmale.

Rs 1.20L
The total amount missing from her account