Image showing a delivery executive delivering an Amazon package. For representational purposes.
Credit: iStock Photo
Mangaluru: The Urwa police have arrested two people who are believed to have defrauded e-commerce platforms of goods worth over Rs 1.29 crore in a pan-India scheme of deceit.
While the duo have been arrested on charges of ordering goods worth Rs 11,45,000 from Amazon using false identifies and selling them later, cops suspect their circle of deceit to extend to eight states.
Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal identified the arrested as Raj Kumar Meena (23) and Subhash Gurjar (27) from Rajasthan.
The duo had ordered two high-value Sony cameras and 10 other items using fake details, under the name 'Amith', at an address near KSRTC bus stand, Mangaluru on September 21.
As part of their modus operandi, the accused provided a fake address and contact number and scheduled the delivery to Amith. Upon delivery, one engaged and distracted the delivery executive, while the other swapped out stickers of the Sony camera boxes with other items in the order.
Then, Raj Kumar provided an incorrect OTP, causing a delay in confirmation of the delivery. Citing the same, the accused told the delivery executive that they would collect the order the next day, following which the executive returned cluelessly with wrong items from the 12-item order.
The duo then promptly cancelled their order for the Sony cameras, retaining the delivered units, which they sold later.
When Amazon's delivery partner, Mahindra Logistics, checked the stickers, they found out about the swapping and reported it to Amazon. A further probe confirmed that the accused had taken the actual Sony cameras, and returned other items.
The commissioner said the accused are suspected of conducting similar acts of fraud using a similar modus operandi in various states across India.
After registering a case, the Urwa police launched an investigation under the guidance of senior officials. Both accused were initially identified by understanding their pattern of ordering through Amazon. They were caught while trying to leave the city after police checked the CCTV cameras both at the delivery point and the airport.
In fact, Raj Kumar Meena was arrested by Salem Police initially and taken into custody by Urwa Police. Subhash was arrested in Mangaluru.
It was then found that Meena was previously arrested in a similar fraud case—involving a camera order from Amazon—at the Pallapatti police station in the Salem district on October 4. The Urwa police took him to custody on October 18 on a body warrant.
Raj Kumar was taken into police custody for 13 days, while the police team, including inspector Bharathi, visited various locations concerning the offence in Mangaluru and Jaipur. Subhash was arrested on October 28 following the interrogation of Raj Kumar.
The police have also seized the cash amount of Rs 11,45,000 obtained from the sale of stolen goods and produced the same in court.
In fact it is believed that the accused, cumulatively, was involved in defrauding e-commerce platforms of goods worth over Rs 1.29 crore, including multiple instances of fraud orders of cameras and iPhones.
There are 11 cases against the duo in this regard, registered in Assam, Odisha, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala.
A case has been registered under Sections 346,350(1), 323, and 319(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).