The accused, Akhilesh Gupta, was arrested on November 30. (Representational)WITH THE help of two brothers based in Malad, one person has been arrested for his alleged involvement in vishing.
Imitation jeweller Sharif Hussain (38) was duped of Rs 44,999 after the accused, who posed as an executive from a finance company, took his bank account details under the pretext of issuing a loan of Rs 10 lakh. The accused, Akhilesh Gupta, was arrested on November 30.
The police said that on November 23, Hussain, a jewellery store owner in Malad, received a call from a woman claiming to be an executive from a finance company. She asked Hussain if he was interested in availing a loan at a lower interest rate.
“Hussain had received the first such call in October. When he showed interest in availing the loan, the woman had asked him to pay Rs 1 lakh as deposit. After he agreed, Akhilesh Gupta, who posed as the woman’s colleague, contacted him on November 23 and asked for his bank account details on the pretext of it it has to be submitted to the finance company,” said an officer from Malwani police station, where an FIR has been registered.
“An one-time password was generated, which Hussain gave away as the caller told him it was a part of the verification process,” the officer added. Soon after, Rs 44,999 was transferred from his account through two transactions — Rs 25,000 and Rs 19,999. After disconnecting the phone, when Hussain realised he was duped, he tried contacting Gupta again, but phone was found switched off.
“I immediately reported the matter with Malwani police and registered a case against unidentified fraudsters,” Hussain said. However, with no action taken by the police, Hussain roped in his younger brother, Asif (35) — his business partner — and laid a trap to net Gupta. The next day, Asif contacted Gupta from another number and said that he was interested in availing a loan.
“Gupta informed him about his company’s loan procedure and similarly asked for his bank account details. Asif claimed that he was uneducated and asked him to collect a cheque instead,” said Hussain.
Asif then called Gupta to his office in Malwani. Immediately after Gupta arrived, the brothers alerted the police and handed him over to them.
Sub-Inspector V Kadam from Malwani police said, “Hussain and his brother managed to get hold of Gupta, following which we arrested him.”
