In a brazen daylight robbery, five miscreants looted Rs 17.5 lakh from a city-based businessman at the Sector-42 lake parking after luring him on the pretext of a cryptocurrency (USDT) deal. The incident came to light when the victim, Amit Kumar, a resident of Sector-45, filed a complaint at the Sector-36 police station.
How the Scam Unfolded
The accused initially contacted Amit Kumar, who runs a computer spare parts business near Panjab University, on WhatsApp. Posing as traders dealing in USDT, they engaged him in conversations over several days. Eventually, they proposed a deal worth approximately Rs 40 lakh and instructed him to bring cash to the meeting.
Amit, accompanied by his associate Vinay Jain, arrived at the Sector-42 lake parking lot carrying Rs 17.5 lakh in two bags, along with identity documents. At the location, four youths were seated inside a black Kia car. One of them, identifying himself as Ankit, asked Amit to sit in the vehicle for discussion.
The Robbery
Sensing something amiss, Amit stepped out of the car. However, the accused chased him and his associate, assaulted them, and snatched both bags before fleeing the scene. The victims were left shaken but managed to note the vehicle's number plate.
Police Investigation and Breakthrough
During the investigation, police discovered that the accused had used a car belonging to a visually impaired man from Kharar. They had tampered with the number plate using black tape to evade identification. However, the victims had noted the number, and CCTV analysis helped the police trace the vehicle and locate its owner.
The car owner informed the police that he was unaware of the criminal plan. He stated that the accused had persuaded him to lend the vehicle, and he had accompanied them. After the robbery, the accused dropped him back and abandoned the car.
Arrest and Recovery
Acting swiftly, police traced the location of the abandoned vehicle but missed the suspects by a few minutes. A case was registered at the Sector-36 police station, and one accused has been arrested. During the probe, the visually impaired car owner informed the police that the accused had left Rs 5 lakh with him. Consequently, the police recovered this amount.
Efforts are underway to nab the remaining accused and recover the rest of the stolen money. The police have urged citizens to exercise caution when engaging in online financial transactions and to verify the credentials of unknown individuals before meeting them.
