The Cyber Crime Police of Lucknow arrested a 33-year-old man from Patna for his alleged role in a ₹1-crore franchise scam. The accused, Rahul Kumar, was nabbed on Saturday following a special operation, police officials confirmed.
Fake Websites Promising Car Dealerships
According to SHO of the Cyber Police Station, the racket involved creating fake websites of reputed automobile companies and promoting them through search engines and social media. People seeking franchise or dealership opportunities were targeted.
Victims were convinced to deposit hefty sums as registration charges and security deposits, which were later siphoned through multiple accounts before being withdrawn in cash.
The case first surfaced on July 19, when a complainant reported being duped of more than ₹1 crore after applying for a car dealership via a seemingly genuine website. Based on the complaint, a case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act.
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Rahul’s Role and Financial Distress
Police revealed that Rahul Kumar, a resident of Patna, had no criminal history but was lured into the racket due to financial distress caused by his wife’s illness. Earlier employed as a cleaner in an educational institution, he was introduced to the scam by an acquaintance, Nitish.
Rahul admitted that his Aadhaar and PAN details were misused by Nitish and two other associates, Abhay and Jitendra of Nawada district, to open bank accounts for routing fraudulent funds. He also confessed to signing multiple cheques on their instructions in exchange for monetary compensation.
Police Investigation and Recovery
During his arrest, police recovered a mobile phone used in the operation. Authorities are now tracing other gang members, including the masterminds who ran the fake websites and handled the fraudulent transactions.
“The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are likely as the network is much bigger. The gang exploited loopholes in digital platforms and payment systems to operate undetected,” SHO said.
The Lucknow cyber crime police have urged citizens to verify franchise opportunities directly with official company websites and avoid relying on search engine ads or social media promotions.
