A high-stakes cyber fraud case has culminated in the arrest of a 36-year-old man from the Khandagiri area of Bhubaneswar. Identified as Harihar Mohapatra, he was taken into custody by the Kolkata police following a complaint that a businessman from Malda was cheated out of approximately ₹4 crore through a cleverly crafted online share-trading scheme. The Precise tracing of funds flagged Mohapatra after investigators noticed that substantial portions of the money funneled through bank accounts eventually landed in his name. He was working part-time at a company in the Baramunda area when the net closed in on him.
The Scam: Promise, Deception, Disappearance
The fraud reportedly began when the Malda businessman was lured with promises of high returns via share trading on digital platforms. At first, the scheme appeared legitimate, trade tips, charts, allegedly strong profits, all reinforced with forged or misleading documents. Over time, the amounts invested grew, and trust was built. But when the businessman asked for withdrawal of returns or capital, roadblocks appeared: customer support stopped responding, documents were delayed, and communication petered out. Investigation revealed that the operators of the scheme were siphoning off the funds and distributing them across various accounts, including that of Mohapatra. Once enough money had been moved, the scamsters went silent, leaving the victim with huge losses and a trail that led to Bhubaneswar.
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Recovery, Police Action, and Lessons Learned
Kolkata’s Pragati Maidan police station took up the matter after the victim lodged the complaint. Their forensic tracking of banking transactions, combined with inter-state coordination, played a vital role in identifying the misuse of Mohapatra’s account. He was arrested with little chance to escape given the weight of evidence. While the full recovery of the lost funds is uncertain, investigators are hopeful some amount can be retrieved. This case also underscores how vulnerable people remain to online trading scams that exploit trust, urgency and greed. Experts warn that such frauds often use feel-good marketing, fake success stories, and promises of guaranteed returns, none of which are legitimate in real trading. Citizens are urged to exercise caution, verify credentials of trading platforms, and avoid investing large sums without due diligence.