Palakkad: Police have arrested Keisham Ningthemjao Singh (63) in connection with a ₹1.84-crore online trading fraud in which a resident of Mannarkkad was allegedly cheated after being lured with promises of “high” and “guaranteed” returns.
The accused is a resident of Manipur and had earlier contested elections from the Andro Assembly constituency on a Congress ticket. Police said the case points to a wider, organised cyber fraud network operating across multiple states.
According to investigators, the fraud took place between August and November 2025. The victim was first contacted on WhatsApp and persuaded to invest in online share trading schemes that promised unusually high profits. To gain confidence, the fraudsters initially showed small returns on modest deposits.
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Once trust was established, the accused and his associates allegedly encouraged the victim to transfer larger sums. In total, ₹1,84,52,524 was deposited in multiple instalments, which was subsequently siphoned off to accounts controlled by the accused.
Police said a substantial portion of the money was routed to an account held at Central Bank of India’s Porompat branch, from where withdrawals were made using cheques. Preliminary findings indicate the account was being used exclusively for criminal activity. Banking records, digital logs and transaction trails are now being analysed to reconstruct the money flow.
Officials said the accused hails from the Yairipok area of Imphal East district. Cyber police have also discovered that Singh is already facing five cheating cases registered across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala.
Investigators believe the case is part of a larger online trading racket involving multiple operatives and possible field agents. Authorities are examining IP data, device activity and interlinked bank accounts to identify other members of the network. Police said further arrests are likely as the probe progresses.
Officers explained that such scams typically follow a familiar pattern: victims are first shown “test profits” to build confidence, after which they are pushed to invest heavily. Once a large amount is deposited, the money is quietly drained through fake platforms or controlled accounts. Victims are then told their accounts are “frozen” or that “taxes are pending”, in an attempt to extract even more funds.
Cyber officials have urged the public to stay away from investment offers promising guaranteed or unusually high returns, especially those circulated through social media or messaging apps. Citizens have been advised to use only SEBI-registered platforms and official channels for trading and investments, and to avoid unknown links, apps or invitation-only groups.
Police also stressed that in the event of digital fraud, victims should immediately alert their bank, request account freezes and file complaints on the official cybercrime portal, noting that action taken within the first few hours significantly improves the chances of recovering funds.
“The early stage of a scam is critical,” an officer said. “Prompt reporting can help block transactions before the money disappears into layered accounts.”
Authorities confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that additional suspect accounts and collaborators are being identified based on the evolving money trail.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
