Jharkhand: Five sentenced to 5 years in cyber fraud case; assets worth Rs 68 lakh seized

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], July 24 (ANI): The Special (PMLA) Court in Ranchi, through an order dated July 23, 2024, sentenced five accused to five years of rigorous imprisonment each, imposed a fine of Rs 2.5 lakh on each, and set a further six months of simple imprisonment for failure to pay the fine. Additionally, properties worth approximately Rs 68 lakh were confiscated in connection with a cyber fraud case, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) said in a statement on Wednesday.
ED Ranchi has secured a conviction in the matter of a cyber fraud case wherein accused persons were involved in the illegal withdrawal of money from ATMs/bank accounts of other individuals. The accused have been habitual offenders and involved in similar offences at other places as well, the ED said in a press release.
The ED filed the Prosecution Complaint and Supplementary Prosecution Complaint on May 27, 2019 and September 2, 2022, respectively, before the Hon'ble Special Court (PMLA), Ranchi, against the accused persons, namely Pradeep Kumar Mandal, Pintu Mandal, Ganesh Mandal, Ankush Kumar Mandal and Santosh Mandal, all residents of Jamtara, Jharkhand.
ED initiated an investigation on the basis of the FIR and charge sheet filed by Narayanpur Police Station, Jamtara, Jharkhand, against the said persons under various sections of the IPC, 1860 and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The ED investigation revealed that the aforesaid accused persons used to gather the mobile numbers of bank customers from the internet and other means.
The ED said that thereafter, they used to call over those mobile numbers of bank customers in the guise of bank officials/employees and dupe/threaten them that they would block their ATMs/bank accounts.
"They generated OTPs required for further transfer of funds through utilization of the bank account details of the customers. The OTPs thus generated were obtained by the accused persons through phone calls made to the customers. They further used the gathered data to siphon off the funds from their bank accounts and deposited the same using different modes like IMPS/UPI/e-wallet viz. wallets like Paytm, Mpesa, PhonePay etc in their own names," the ED said.
It was also revealed during the course of the investigation that the said accused persons used to transfer those funds in their personal bank accounts which was further utilised in purchasing movable/immovable properties.
"Apart from that, they also used to withdraw Proceeds of Crime from their bank accounts which was utilized for their daily domestic expenses as well as for lavish lifestyle. Several such bank accounts used to park the proceeds of crime by the accused persons were identified during the course of the investigation and the balances lying therein were frozen. Further, during the course of PMLA investigation, searches were conducted at different premises of the accused persons and several mobile phones and bank accounts which were instrumental in commission of the offence were seized," the ED said.
During the course of the investigation, cash, balance in bank accounts, four vehicles, mobile phones and three immovable properties of accused persons, having cumulative value to the tune of Rs. 68 Lakh (approx.) were seized which were duly confirmed/allowed by Ld. Adjudicating Authority (under PMLA), New Delhi and further prayed for confiscation before Hon'ble PMLA Court, Ranchi and the Hon'ble Court was pleased to order for the confiscation of the said attached properties. (ANI)