Mohali cops to identify other gang members

Tribune News Service 

Mohali, August 29

In a case of online fraud in which three Delhi-based residents have already been arrested, the Mohali police are now identifying other members of the gang and their call centres being run from Delhi.

Giving details, Rupinderdeep Kaur Sohi, DSP (Cyber), said they believed that there were around 40 members in the gang. Anand Mishra, kingpin of the gang, along with two others, Pramod and Karan, had already been arrested.

“We are identifying the rest of the suspects who were working in call centres being run by the miscreants to dupe the people, mainly elderly, by giving them false hopes of clearing their dues pending in LIC,” said DSP Sohi.

She said the police had already identified their one call centre in Delhi. “We came to know that the miscreants were running at least two more such call centres in Delhi or some nearby area,” said DSP Sohi.

The miscreants used to procure the database of contact numbers of policy holders by paying money to some private companies or people, who usually offer free gift coupons or holiday packages at public places like gas stations.

The DSP said the miscreants seemed to have duped a large number of people to the tune of several crores of rupees.

“Around 180 employees were working in the call centre in Delhi,” said DSP Sohi.

She said the miscreants used to make phone calls on landline numbers of victims. “We detected more than 2,300 calls made to people in the Mohali area only,” said the DSP.

“Our investigations are on. We are hopeful of arrest of more gang members soon,” said DSP Sohi.

A case under Sections 406, 420 and 120B of the IPC has been registered at the Phase 11 police station here.

Kingpin, two others already in police net

Anand Mishra, kingpin of the gang, along with two others, Pramod and Karan, have already been arrested.

Around 180 employees were working in the call centre in Delhi. The miscreants used to make phone calls on landline numbers of victims. We detected more than 2,300 calls made to people in the Mohali area only. — Rupinderdeep Kaur Sohi, DSP (Cyber)