Punjab Police Discovers MSP Payment Scam, Four Arrested
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Chandigarh, Jan 9 (NationPress) The State Cybercrime Division of the Punjab Police has revealed a significant fraud concerning minimum support price (MSP) payments, resulting in the apprehension of four suspects engaged in altering the Anaaj Kharid Portal to redirect crop payments from farmers to their own bank accounts, as stated by Additional Director General of Police V. Neeraja on Thursday.
The individuals taken into custody are identified as Manish, Jasvir Singh, Angrej Singh, and Balwinder Singh.
Authorities have also seized digital devices and routers utilized in executing the fraudulent activities.
According to ADGP Neeraja, the accused employed a clever strategy to unlawfully divert the payments intended for farmers by substituting the farmers' mobile numbers with their own. They subsequently altered the bank account details for the farmers.
To evade detection, the suspects would revert to the original information immediately after the payment was completed, she elaborated, noting that a state-wide operation is ongoing to apprehend additional suspects.
Information indicates that a complaint was filed by the Food and Civil Supplies Department, highlighting that several farmers had not received payments for their crops sold during the 2024 paddy season.
Further investigation confirmed that payments meant for these farmers had been deposited into various bank accounts belonging to unrelated individuals.
During the initial inquiry, IP records and other data were meticulously examined, revealing unauthorized access to the Anaaj Kharid Portal and the misrouting of crop payments into different bank accounts.
The investigation also uncovered that a mobile device and number were acquired from the Mohali district using a fictitious identity, which facilitated the retrieval of OTPs for modifying farmers' bank accounts on the Anaaj Kharid Portal. The gang operated from remote areas of Muktsar Sahib.
An internet connection was also installed to gain unauthorized access to the portal and alter the farmers' bank records.
