113 FIRs registered against ‘pandemic profiteers’ in Delhi

NEW DELHI:  In the wake of recent spurt in black-marketing of Covid-related supplies, the Delhi Police have registered 113 FIRs till May 4 against fraudsters for black-marketing, hoarding and overcharging of medicines and oxygen cylinders. 

Out of the total FIRs filed, 61 cases pertain to cheating and fraud in the name of providing Covid medicines or oxygen cylinder and so on, while 52 cases are against black-marketing, hoarding or overcharging. 

The police have arrested 100 people across the city in these cases. Moreover, taking cognisance of Covid helpline and cyber helpline calls and reports, the police have registered 37 cases of cheating and taken up investigations. 

Acting on Covid helpline complaints, the Delhi Police have also cracked down on cyber criminals like fraud callers and cyber financial cheats and in the last two days, it has identified 200 mobile numbers, 95 bank accounts, 33 UTR and 17 UPI/Wallet involved in these crimes and is in coordination with the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) and I4C of MHA for stoppage of payment and blocking of these numbers. 

“In a first, a payment of Rs 74, 380 was stopped on May 3 by IDBI Bank. Earlier two transactions of Rs 11, 000 and Rs 20, 000 were stopped on May 1 by ICICI Bank and PayTM respectively,” shows the data shared by Delhi Police. 

“The quantum growth in digital transaction has brought with it the similar growth in fraudulent transactions too. The fraudsters ask unsuspecting victims to pay in bank branches outside Delhi.  There is a need to do due diligence and not fall prey by transferring money to a bank at far off places,” said Delhi Police Spokesperson DCP Chenmoy Biswal.