Why Did the J&K Crime Branch File a Charge Sheet Naming an Arunachal Woman in an Online Fraud Case?
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Srinagar, Dec 24 (NationPress) The Crime Branch of J&K Police announced on Wednesday that it has submitted a charge sheet in relation to a Rs 26 lakh international impersonation fraud case.
In a statement from the Crime Branch Kashmir, it was noted, “The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Kashmir filed a charge sheet before the Hon’ble Court of Judge Small Causes, Srinagar, concerning FIR No. 17/2020, which was registered under Sections 419, 420, 468, 471 RPC and Section 66-D of the Information Technology Act.”
The charge sheet has been lodged against the accused, Jumbom Riba, a resident of Village Pagi in District Lepa Rada, Arunachal Pradesh, for her suspected involvement in a complex online fraud and impersonation scheme with international implications.
The case originated from a formal complaint wherein the complainant claimed to have been contacted via social media by a woman named Christiana, who purported to be a Secretary at Abbot Pharmaceutical in the United Kingdom. Under the guise of offering dealership rights for a product called “Agasina Nut,” allegedly sourced from Arunachal Pradesh, the complainant was lured with promises of substantial profits and an international purchase agreement.
“Following these assurances, the complainant transferred roughly Rs 26.25 lakh into various bank accounts. The fraud was exacerbated by a staged, fake currency conversion demonstration, resulting in significant financial losses,” the statement explained.
During the investigation, the EOW Kashmir confirmed that the accused utilized forged identity documents, including fake voter ID cards, to establish multiple bank accounts under the names of Tabu Juli and Aisha Kholi across different banks. These accounts were managed by the accused and were employed for routing, diverting, and withdrawing funds. An analysis of transactions revealed rapid inter-bank transfers and cash withdrawals without any legitimate income to justify the credits.
“The investigation conclusively established offenses of cheating, impersonation, forgery, and the use of forged documents as if they were genuine. Consequently, the investigation has been concluded as proven, and the charge sheet has been submitted in absentia under Section 512 CrPC for judicial review. The Economic Offences Wing Kashmir encourages the public to stay vigilant to avoid falling victim to online and offline fraudsters,” the statement concluded.