Sriganganagar: Couple among four held for running fraudulent call centres for blackmail
Abohar, June 14
The police have busted two call centres in Sriganganagar for allegedly blackmailing people through a mobile application “Yaar”. These places were being operated by a couple and two others, who have been arrested. Both the fake call centres were set up in the name of providing jobs to poor and unemployed teenage boys and girls. They were also being forced to blackmail people through mobile applications.
Superintendent of Police Gaurav Yadav said that the police arrested Maya Yadav (37) and her associate Gurdas Singh (38), who were running “The Secret Café” in a rented portion in 15-C Block.
Another police team raided the house of Sanjay Yadav, where a call centre was allegedly being run. His wife Anju was also found working in the call centre.
Maya, Gurdas, Sanjay Yadav and Anju Yadav have been arrested under relevant sections of fraud, blackmailing, Juvenile Act and IT Act.
Police have seized 13 mobile phones from “The Secret Café”. Apart from Maya Yadav and Gurdas, six girls were found working here, out of which three are minors. Seven mobile phones and modem have been seized from Sanjay Yadav’s centre. A register has also been found in which the account of money earned allegedly through blackmailing was detailed. The girls hired in the name of jobs in the so-called call centres were given a monthly salary of Rs 10 to 15 thousand.
Police sources said that Maya and Anju Yadav are known to each other. Anju learnt about this app from Maya and allegedly started blackmailing along with her husband by setting up a call centre in a part of the house. Maya’s husband Vikas had passed away some time ago and she was living on rent in the upper portion of The Secret Café where a fake call centre was being run.
The minor girls found working in the call centres were presented before the Child Welfare Committee which called their parents and police allowed them to go to their homes. Further investigation is in progress, the police said.
