Four from Bihar held for cheating people on pretext of selling oxygen cylinders

The Delhi Police said all the arrested-- Deepak Ram (21), Pankaj (26), Sarvan Malakar (35), and Mithlesh Prasad (36)--are members of a gang named Chhote Chaudhary, which operates from Bihar’s Nalanda.

The Delhi Police have arrested four people from Bihar Sharif in Nalanda, Bihar, for allegedly cheating several people in Delhi on the pretext of providing them oxygen cylinders. Police said the gang has duped at least 300 people of more than ₹1.5 crore till date.

Shibesh Singh, additional commissioner of police (ACP), crime, said the arrested suspects claimed to be members of Chhote Chaudhary gang. (HT Archives. Representative image)

Police said all the arrested-- Deepak Ram (21), Pankaj (26), Sarvan Malakar (35), and Mithlesh Prasad (36)--are members of a gang named Chhote Chaudhary, which operates from Bihar’s Nalanda. Police have recovered around ₹20,000 cash, 21 mobile phones, 22 SIM cards, 23 ATM cards of different banks, other valuables and bank related documents from them.

Shibesh Singh, additional commissioner of police (ACP), crime, said a complainant, who was in dire need of oxygen cylinder for his relative admitted in DDU hospital, had contacted one Sachin, whose number he got from a social media post. “The suspect offered him two cylinders for Rs. 23,950. The complainant paid the money online but the cylinder never reached him. On his complaint, a case of cheating was registered,” said Singh.

Singh said the arrested suspects claimed to be members of Chhote Chaudhary gang. “Chhote Chaudhary is also a resident of Nalanda and has been running the gang for the past 2-3 years. During the pandemic, Chaudhary found an opportunity amid the rising demand for oxygen cylinders and concentrators. He roped in Deepak, who arranged the bank accounts to receive the cheated money.”

“Sarvan used to help Deepak open bank accounts with fake documents and charged ₹25,000 per account. While Mithlesh withdrew the money using the ATM cards that Deepak gave him at a rate of 2% per transaction, Pankaj used to collect the money, for which Deepak paid him ₹4,500 per week,” said Singh.

Enquiry of the contact numbers given by the suspects has revealed that several people had paid them various amounts for oxygen regulators, oxygen cylinders and concentrators. “Three bank accounts have so far been seized with ₹1.28 crore, ₹2.17 lakh and ₹96,000,” respectively.

Further investigation is on to trace and arrest gang leader Chhote Choudhary and his other associates, police said.

Delhi Police spokesperson Chinmoy Biswal said in the last one month since the lockdown in Delhi, the Covid helpline of Delhi Polic, 112 and cyber helpline have received many complaints and reports of people being cheated online by unscrupulous elements who are cashing in on the short supply of Covid essentials.

“Most of these cheating and frauds took place using social media and instant payment transfer methods. Over 500 cases have been registered and investigations are being done by district cyber units and crime branch,” he said.