The South cyber cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch apprehended Santsoh Bukre, a 34-year-old resident of Ulhasnagar, for allegedly defrauding a 30-year-old Navy personnel from Colaba of Rs 27.8 lakh through an online job scam.
The victim received a Telegram message from a sender named Vaidehi on October 21 last year, offering a part-time job. Engaging in tasks like rating hotels, the complainant earned Rs 959 initially. Subsequently, he joined a Telegram group where he was instructed to undertake prepaid tasks for greater profits, receiving a total of Rs 83,448.
As the victim attempted to withdraw his earnings, he encountered difficulties, prompting him to seek the accused's assistance. However, the fraudster demanded 50% of the total amount for the return of the investment and earnings, revealing the deception. The duped Navy personnel then reported the incident to the police.
Investigating the matter, authorities discovered that Bukre's bank account had been used in the fraudulent transactions, with Rs 15 lakh transferred to his account. Further examination revealed that the complainant had sent money to multiple accounts, including one under the name of Manisha Fabrics, where Rs 15 lakh had been received.
Bukre, identified as the director of Manisha Fabrics, was subsequently arrested on charges of cheating, forgery, identity theft, and offenses under the IPC and IT Act. Police are actively pursuing leads to apprehend additional suspects involved in the online scam.
