Fake 'stock market experts' gang busted in Delhi, 9 held

New Delhi: With the arrest of nine persons, the Special Cell of Delhi Police has busted a gang for impersonating as stock market experts to lure and dupe people on the pretext of investment for high returns through a trading app "CHC-SES", an official said on Monday.

An official said that they have cheated people to the tune of around Rs 2.38 crore. The arrest comes after a complaint was received from Vishal Sodhi, a resident of Mohan Garden, Uttam Nagar on January 17, regarding cheating on the pretext of investment through trading app CHC-SES.

"Further, other complaints of Manoj Kumar, Rajbir Yadav and Shailendra Kumar were also received regarding the cheating and impersonation by the same trading app CHC-SES. It was alleged that they were added in a WhatsApp group, where online tutorials regarding 'How to invest in trading for high returns' were given," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (IFSO) Hemant Tiwari.

The DCP said that the complainants were induced to invest in multiple companies through their respective bank accounts amounting to Rs 2.38 crore.

During the investigation, it was found that there are 25 multiple beneficiary bank accounts, in which the complainants were induced/allured to deposit cheated amounts by the cyber fraudsters.

One of the accused Munish Sharma, who was using the suspected mobile phones and has also logged in the alleged Gmail ID linked with the alleged bank accounts and traced on the basis of technical surveillance and by following digital footprints.

"A raid was conducted and he was arrested. Further at his instance, eight more co-accused -- Gaurav Kumar, Paramjit a.k.a Pammy Ram Kumar Raman, Vikas Bansal, Tushar Garg, Manoj Bansal, Rajesh Kumar Goyal and Rachna -- were arrested," said the DCP.

Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, the DCP said that Gaurav Kumar, Munish Sharma, Vikas Bansal and Tushar used to contact people and convinced them to open bank accounts in their names in lieu of a handsome amount.

"Their modus operandi was to win the confidence of the people by offering them a handsome amount or commission for the amounts accruing in their accounts. The accused persons also collected their Aadhaar cards, PAN cards and other KYC documents and floated bogus firms in the names of such people," said the DCP.

It was also revealed that accused Vikas Bansal and his associates Manoj Bansal, Tushar Garg and others have floated more than 400 bogus firms and also opened more than 400 current bank accounts linked to these firms.

"The accused persons are using these bank accounts to siphon off the cheated money in a big way. Further, these firms are also used by them for the purpose of GST theft and other purposes," the DCP added.