Bhubaneswar, April 24: The Cyber Police wing of the Odisha Crime Branch has arrested a 56-year-old man from New Delhi in connection with a major online investment fraud in which a victim was duped of over ₹2.06 crore through a fake trading platform.

The accused, Vinay Kumar Sharma of Janak Puri in West Delhi, was apprehended from the Dwarka area following a detailed investigation involving financial tracking and digital evidence analysis led by Inspector Tapan Kumar Pradhan.

According to officials, the victim was unknowingly added to a WhatsApp group in December 2024, where fraudsters posed as financial experts and a fund manager. They shared stock market tips to gain trust and lure the victim into investing. Convinced of the scheme’s authenticity, the victim transferred ₹2,06,07,500 across 54 transactions to multiple bank accounts between December 2024 and March 2025.

When the victim attempted to withdraw returns, the accused, posing as a “risk control team,” denied the request on false grounds. Realising the fraud, the victim lodged an FIR.

Police seized mobile phones, SIM cards, and identity documents from the accused. He has been produced before a court and is being brought to Bhubaneswar on transit remand for further investigation.

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