Cyber crime branch busts fake medicine sale racket; African among 11 held

Ahmedabad, Nov 11 (PTI) The Ahmedabad cyber crime branch on Tuesday claimed to have busted a gang allegedly involved in duping people by promising high returns on chemical purchases made in India and sold in Africa by arresting 11 persons, including a Nigerian national, officials said.

Among the accused, six, including the Nigerian, were arrested in Bengaluru and Mumbai, and five others from Jamangar, according to an official release.

The complainant businessman, a resident of Ahmedabad, claimed he was duped of Rs 32,72,500 by a gang that lured him into investing money in the sale of Eupatorium Mercola liquid, a homeopathic medicine used in treating malaria and dengue, in Africa, assuring huge returns.

The gang members contacted the complainant online by posing as representatives of an African company.

The fraudsters convinced him to deposit money into various accounts under the pretext of selling him the products through an Indian firm at cheaper rates, the release said.

However, when he went to collect the product at the address mentioned in Rajasthan, he was shocked to find out that the company never existed.

The Cyber Crime Police Station registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) on charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating, and criminal conspiracy.

Police tracked down and arrested the accused through technical analysis and human intelligence, leading to the seizure of 14 mobile phones, seven SIM cards, two diaries, and 33 debit cards. PTI Corr PD NSK