Mumbai cyber police arrest UP man in fake passport website case

City cyber police on Tuesday arrested a 28-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh for his alleged role in a fake government website racket. The accused was involved in allegedly creating a fake website of the passport department and duping a city businesswoman. Police suspect the racket has duped many people.

City cyber police on Tuesday arrested a 28-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh for his alleged role in a fake government website racket. The accused was involved in allegedly creating a fake website of the passport department and duping a city businesswoman. Police suspect the racket has duped many people.

For representational purpose only. (HT FILE)

The arrested accused has been identified as Alok Shukla, 29, a resident of Oraiiyya, UP.

The racket came to light following a complaint lodged by a 54-year-old CEO of a tours and travels company. The complainant stated that she came across the website on January 9 while looking for the official passport website to renew her passport. She saw a logo of the government of India on the website, hence she thought it was the official site.

When she opted for the renewal process on this website, she had to furnish her personal details as well as bank details to pay the fee.

However, later she found that ₹2,999 was transferred from her account. When she again looked for the website, she came across the official website, which warns people of fake websites duping people. She then realised that she was duped and approached the cyber police.

Cyber police officers started their probe and technical investigation led them to Uttar Pradesh. Officers learnt about whereabouts of Alok Shukla, a suspect involved in the racket, in Mujaffarnagar, UP, and nabbed him there on March 16.

The team brought him to Mumbai on transit remand on Thursday. Shukla has been charged under sections 420, 468, 471 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 66c and 66d of Information Technology Act.

A police officer said Shukla, who is in police custody till March 22, is not cooperating in the probe, and refused to share details as investigations are on.