Sambalpur: In a major crackdown on an organised cybercrime network, police in Odisha’s Sambalpur district arrested two persons in connection with a ₹20.70 lakh fraud case. The accused allegedly used WhatsApp to establish business contact by posing as buyers of agricultural equipment and executed the fraud through mule bank accounts. The arrested persons have been identified as Jagdish Kumar (44) from Narela in New Delhi and Ram Ashre (39) from Malkaganj. Both are accused of illegally withdrawing and forwarding money for a cyber fraud gang.
The case came to light after the Sambalpur Cyber Crime and Economic Offences police station began investigating a suspicious bank account at the Bamra branch of State Bank of India. The account was registered under the name Sunushi Agro Private Limited, and preliminary inquiry suggested that the account was being operated for suspicious financial transactions. During the probe, the account holder Achyutananda Patel was found to be a victim of an organised cyber fraud racket. Following this, police arrested the two accused from New Delhi on Saturday.
Investigation revealed that the accused had gathered business information about Patel’s agricultural enterprise from social media platforms. They later contacted him through WhatsApp and placed a fake bulk order for 50 agricultural reaper machines last year. To build trust, the fraudsters began sending money into his account in the name of advance business payments.
FCRF Launches Flagship Certified Fraud Investigator (CFI) Program
12 Transactions in 10 Days
According to the investigation report, a total of ₹20,70,005 was deposited into the account through 12 separate transactions between August 5 and August 14, 2025. Later, the accused allegedly pressured the victim psychologically and forced him to withdraw around ₹13 lakh in cash and hand it over to them. The remaining amount was transferred online to another account. The victim was also persuaded to transfer an additional ₹7 lakh of his personal savings by citing alleged business and tax-related requirements.
Psychological Pressure and Impersonation Tactics
Officials stated that the accused used a multi-layered strategy to carry out the fraud. The scheme involved offering business profit incentives, creating fear by presenting emergency situations, and impersonating persons allegedly connected with influential political figures or central agencies. This was done to exert psychological pressure so that the victim would transfer money without raising questions.
Mule Accounts Used to Mask Money Trail
The probe also found that the gang used mule bank accounts to hide the source of illegally obtained funds. Money obtained from victims was first deposited into such accounts and then transferred in multiple stages to other accounts to obscure the financial trail. Police have seized relevant bank records and digital evidence to support further investigation.
Arrests in Delhi, Wider Network Under Scanner
An additional superintendent of police said the cybercrime gang mainly targeted people through online business deal offers. Efforts are underway to identify other members of the network and uncover the broader operation of the racket. Authorities have urged people to verify unknown business proposals received through social media before accepting them and to remain cautious about suspicious links or financial demands.
Police Advisory: Verify Before You Transfer
Police also emphasized that public awareness is the most effective defence against cyber fraud. Transparency should be maintained especially in cases involving large orders, advance payments, or emergency money transfers. Meanwhile, interrogation of the arrested accused is continuing, and investigators are trying to trace other possible members of the gang.
