Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police detained four youths in Bhubaneswar following raid on an apartment flat for their alleged involvement in cyber fraud. Large number of SIMs, several mobile phones, laptops, CCTV cameras and internet devices have been seized from the possession of the four detainees.

Based on the inputs from sources, a team of Commissionerate Police searched the flat no. 602 in the Prestige apartment located in Sundarpada area. The four occupants of the flat, who were found during the search, are from outside the State. They have been apprehended.

Bhubaneswar DCP Pinak Mishra informed the four detainees were in touch with their operators based in Delhi. 20 smartphones, two desktops, one laptop, three passports and several SIMs and jiofibre interent connection have been seized from their possession. They were defrauding people by sending online gaming platform links through WhatsApp and Telegram, he added. 

A resident of the apartment, who stays in Flat no 601 said the four persons had been living in the flat since six months. Mostly they used to stay indoors. They were not interacting much with neigbours and other residents of the apartment. 

Neither the four persons allowed any neighbor to enter their flat nor were seen anyone paying visit to them. Only, online delivery personnel or grocery delivery people used to visit them and delivery the goods at the flat doorstep. However, there was no such activity which will raise suspicion or alarm, he added.

“During the brief talks, whenever we asked them earlier where they were working, the occupants said they are working for a company. But they did not disclose the details of the company,” the neighbour added. 

Another resident said six persons used to stay in the flat and, in every one or two months, new persons used to occupy the flat. However, today only four persons have been found in the flat. Involvement of more people in similar cyber crime activities in Bhubaneswar cannot be ruled out.

Sources said the four persons used to commit fraud activities through Telegram and gaming apps. The police investigation is going on into the case.