Noida police wants SIT to probe Web Work case

Stating that it does not have the “expertise to probe complicated cyber crime cases”, the Noida police has written to the police headquarters in Lucknow asking that the probe into an online social trading company, Webwork Trade Link Private Limited, be handed over to a special investigation team.

Stating that it does not have the “expertise to probe complicated cyber crime cases”, the Noida police has written to the police headquarters in Lucknow asking that the probe into an online social trading company, Webwork Trade Link Private Limited, be handed over to a special investigation team.

Police seized the company’s documents from its Sector 2 office. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The company is accused of cheating thousands of people in the name of ‘likes’, the police said on Wednesday.

Noida police has said a special investigation team has more powers and expertise to deal with such internet fraud cases.

“We have requested the Dharmendra Singh Yadav, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Gautam Budh Nagar, to ask for a SIT probe into the Web Work case. The SSP has further written to top officials in Lucknow. Our investigating officer is not an expert to deal with such complicated cyber cases,” said Gaurav Grover, additional superintendent of police, Gautam Budh Nagar, said.

Noida police, has so far seized the company’s four bank accounts with private banks. These four accounts are owned by Web Work directors Anurag Garg and Sandesh Verma. However, police are unaware of the exact amount in these accounts.

The Uttar Pradesh police on February 12 lodged an FIR against Web Work Trade Link Private Limited, located in Sector 2 Noida.

The company is suspected to be working on the lines of Ablaze Info Solutions Private Limited, which is currently being investigated for fraud by state and central agencies.

Web Work Trade Link Private Limited asks people to invest anywhere between ₹11,000 and ₹57,500 to become a publisher in the company. The company subsequently sends links of websites, which should be liked by a publisher to make a profit. The company promises to pay ₹6 per like. A username and a password are also provided to investors to access the website.

The office of Web Work has been shut since the FIR was lodged and promoters of the company have switched off their mobile phones. However, one of the directors, Anurag Garg, in a video message posted on YouTube, has refuted the allegations.

“Ours is a legitimate business. Many people do not understand it. Investors need not worry because we will soon begin payments as promised,” Garg said in a video message.