2 weeks ago
Jamtara man arrested for fake Adani Gas WhatsApp fraud
A man from a town called Jamtara in India pretended to be someone who works for Adani Gas, a company that supplies gas.
He sent messages and made calls on WhatsApp to people living in Chandigarh.
He told them their gas bills were overdue or needed to be fixed.
Then he sent them a tricky file called an APK that let him get into their phones.
Once he was inside their phones, he used their payment apps to take money.
He took money using their cards and payment apps like UPI.
The police in Chandigarh found him and arrested him.
The police kept him for five days of questioning, and then a judge sent him to jail while they keep investigating.
Police are now looking for other people who may have helped him commit this online trickery.
Chandigarh Police arrested 23-year-old Bimal Kumar Mandal, alias Vidur, from Jharkhand's Jamtara in a cyber-fraud case.
He allegedly posed as an Adani Gas representative, contacting Chandigarh residents via WhatsApp messages and calls.
He told victims their bills were pending or needed updating, then sent malicious APK files to gain unauthorized access to their phones.
The accused allegedly carried out unauthorized transactions through debit cards, credit cards, and UPI, causing financial losses.
Mandal was sent to judicial custody after five days of police remand, and police are investigating others linked to the fraud network.
- Who
- Bimal Kumar Mandal, alias Vidur, a 23-year-old from Jharkhand's Jamtara.
- What
- Allegedly posed as an Adani Gas representative to con Chandigarh residents into installing malicious APK files, enabling unauthorized card and UPI transactions.
- Where
- The accused was arrested in Jamtara, Jharkhand, while victims were in Chandigarh; the case is registered at the Cyber Crime police station in Sector 17.
- When
- An FIR was registered on June 15; the accused was sent to judicial custody after a five-day police remand.
- Why
- To gain unauthorized access to victims' mobile phones and carry out fraudulent financial transactions.
Key facts
- Accused
- Bimal Kumar Mandal, alias Vidur
- Age
- 23 years
- Origin
- Jamtara, Jharkhand
- Victims
- Chandigarh residents
- Modus operandi
- Fake Adani Gas calls/messages, pending bill claims, malicious APK files
- Financial impact
- Unauthorized debit card, credit card, and UPI transactions
- FIR date
- June 15
- Case status
- Judicial custody after five-day police remand; further investigation underway
Sources
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