E-Paper
Chandigarh: 61-year-old duped of ₹52L in cyber scam
According to an FIR registered on July 2, the victim Guljit Singh Dadhwal, stated that he was added to a WhatsApp group allegedly operated by individuals impersonating officials of HSBC Securities
A 61-year-old resident of Sector 37-D has alleged that he was defrauded of over ₹52.8 lakh by cyber fraudsters operating under the guise of HSBC Securities, promising high returns through IPOs, block deals, and pull-up stock schemes.
According to an FIR registered on July 2, the victim Guljit Singh Dadhwal, stated that he was added to a WhatsApp group allegedly operated by individuals impersonating officials of HSBC Securities. The group, which had about 80-100 members, frequently discussed high-return investments, leading the complainant to believe he was participating in legitimate trading activities.
The accused instructed Dadhwal to download a fraudulent app—HSSPMA—via a suspicious Google Play Store link, claiming it was a ‘Primary Market Account’ portal. Once onboarded, he was guided to deposit large sums through RTGS/NEFT into multiple Bandhan Bank accounts, purportedly belonging to brokers. Between March 22 and April 21, Dadhwal transferred ₹52.8 lakh in tranches.
The FIR has been registered under Sections 319(2) (cheating by personation), 318(4) (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 338 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc.), 340(2) (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), and 62(2) (attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
The case is being investigated by Sector 39 police station under the supervision of senior officials. Police suspect the scam was executed by an organised cybercrime syndicate using fake identities and social engineering tactics.
