PUNE: In the last month, the city cyber crime branch has arrested nine suspects, including two women, allegedly involved in an online multi-level-marketing cheating case, where the suspects allegedly duped a city-based investor of Rs 9.7 lakh.
In January, 28-year-old Mahesh Uttamrao Mane of Navi Sangvi had lodged a police complaint saying nine people had allegedly duped him and his friends of Rs 9.7 lakh by promising handsome returns on their investment in the company.
Following this, police arrested Tinu Roshanlal Wadhwani (24) of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, Siddharth Arunrao Harale (30) of old Sangvi, Vijay Kashinath Bhoi (27) of Alandi, Darshan Suresh Patil (27) of Nandurbar, Tejashri Singh Rameshsingh (26) of Bhandup in Mumbai, Swati Suman Singh (27), Sourabh Nandkishor Chandra (26), both residents of Powai in Mumbai, and Ravikumar Choharya Mishra (25) of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh.
Police are still on the hunt for two more suspects in the case. A few of the suspects have obtained bail from local courts, while some are still in police custody.
A team headed by senior inspector Sunil Pawar and inspector Manisha Zende arrested the suspects. They also seized laptops, cellphones, cheque books, diaries, letters and agreements of the suspects with a QNet company.
According to the complaint, the suspects approached Mane in June 2016 and claimed they were running a business of QNet, and if Mane invests about Rs 4 lakh in it, he will get handsome profit of Rs 4 to Rs 5 crore. They not only promised handsome returns but also urged him to give references like friends and relatives for further business.
Mane then also introduced his friends to the suspects. After investing money, the suspects requested Mane and his friends to attend a meeting. During the meeting, Mane and his friends realised they have been duped by the suspects collectively for Rs 9.7 lakh.
However, even before they could react, the suspects allegedly kept transferring the money from one account to another using e-banking facility.
Police claimed that through this business, one of the suspects, Mishra, who was arrested on Tuesday, had earned Rs 1 crore. He earned this money by claiming his commission, Pawar said.
Police suspect that a large cash flow has happened in this case and money has been transferred to various accounts.
The suspects, according to police, had duped many persons in this way. Pawar said that Mishra, prima facie, seems to be one of the senior officers of the Qnet company in India.
Also, cases against Qnet in India are being investigated by the economic offences wing (EOW) of CBI, EOW of Mumbai police, EOW of Delhi police, and other police units. Police wants to verify if Mishra is involved in any of those cases as well.
THE CASE
In June 2016, the suspects approached complainant Mahesh Uttamrao Mane and claimed they're running a business of QNet. They tell Mane that if he invests around Rs 4 lakh in the business, he would get a profit of Rs 4 crore to Rs 5 crore After Mane introduces some friends to suspects, they're all invited to a meeting
During this meeting, Mane and others realise they have been duped collectively of Rs 9.7 lakh