Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Feb 25: A bizarre case of police negligence has surfaced in Mangaluru, where officers organised a tour with a cybercriminal who scammed crores of rupees! To make matters worse, the accused even held a cybercrime awareness workshop for law students, raising eyebrows and also causing an uproar.

Mangaluru police are under fire for organising a tour with the accused cybercriminal who looted over Rs 30 crore! 

Rajkumar Meena (23) and Subhash Gurjar (27) exploited Amazon’s policies to scam millions by purchasing high-value items and pretending to make payments. Investigations revealed their crimes spanned over 10 states, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Karnataka.

The scam came to light when Mahindra Logistics filed a complaint, prompting Urwa police to arrest the duo. Rajkumar was captured in Salem police in Tamil Nadu, while Subhash was arrested in Rajasthan. Despite their extensive criminal activities, the pair travelled freely across the country by air. Both were brought to Mangaluru after being arrested by the Tamil Nadu police. 

Police fly to Gujarat at thief's expense

In an even more bizarre twist, four Urwa police officers flew to Gujarat at the accused’s expense for further investigation. Not only did they travel with the criminals, but they also reportedly indulged in sightseeing.

Cyber thieves given luxury custody

After their arrest, the accused were allowed to stay in luxury at the Urwa police station instead of jail. The thieves were even permitted to order food from hotels during police custody.

Accused conducts awareness workshop for students

In an unprecedented move, the accused, responsible for a massive cyber scam, held a cybercrime awareness workshop for over 30 law students at the Urwa police station. The police’s handling of the situation has sparked outrage and raised serious questions.

Police clarifies reports on custody procedures, suspend officer for misconduct

The Mangaluru City CEN crime police have conducted an internal inquiry into a recent media report titled "Luxury Tour with a Crore-Scam Accused". Following an investigation led by the assistant commissioner of police, a report was submitted clarifying the facts of the case.

According to the findings, the inspector of Mangaluru Urwa police station, who is the investigating officer in case no. 95/2024, traveled to Jaipur, Rajasthan, from Bengaluru airport via flight along with police personnel for official investigation. The flight tickets were booked through a known contact of the inspector, and the expenses were personally paid by him. The accused did not bear any travel costs.

Furthermore, CCTV footage from the police station was reviewed, confirming that the accused remained in the station's custody except during interrogation sessions. There was no evidence of any special treatment provided to the accused.

The report also addressed claims that the accused had conducted an awareness session for students. It was clarified that during an interrogation, a group of students and faculty from Moodbidri’s Bhuvanajyothi College visited the station and interacted with the inspector. At that time, the accused was seen sitting on the floor and standing up upon their arrival. However, he did not address the students in any capacity.

Additionally, it was found that Urwa station head constable (HC 2119) Peter D'Souza took a selfie with the accused while on duty. This act was deemed a violation of departmental discipline, leading to his suspension and initiation of disciplinary proceedings. Action has also been taken against the Urwa police station inspector for negligence in handling the case.