Pune businessman tricked into investing in ‘Bitcoin trading’, loses Rs 23 lakh

The victim, a 45-year-old man resident of Kharadi, approached the Chandan Nagar police station on Friday and lodged a first information report (FIR). Police sub-inspector Rameshwar Revale, the investigating officer, said the complainant first received a WhatsApp message about a part-time job offer from the accused.

The complainant then started interacting with the accused who offered him huge returns on investing in Bitcoin trading. The defendant then asked him to communicate through an Instagram account. Initially, the accused made some investments and got the assured profits, encouraging the complainant to invest his money.

Police said that between April 9 and 11, the complainant transferred a total of Rs 23,24,400 to seven different bank accounts as per the instructions of the accused, expecting good returns. “But the accused, instead of giving the assured profit money, demanded Rs 12 lakh more. This made the complainant suspicious and he approached the police,” he said.

The officer said that the police have managed to freeze the accounts to which the complainant had transferred the money. “Further investigation is underway,” Revale added. The police have booked the fraudsters under sections 409, 419, 420 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. Sections of the Information Technology Act will also be invoked soon, officers said.