Ludhiana: The Dehlon Police in Ludhiana have registered a criminal case against five senior officials of a Gurugram-based Japanese agricultural equipment company and its parent organization over allegations of intellectual property theft, cheating, and corporate fraud.

The case was filed after a Ludhiana-based agricultural machinery manufacturer accused the company of illegally obtaining proprietary machine designs and business information during a manufacturing partnership before allegedly using the data to establish a competing operation.

Partnership Allegedly Used to Access Confidential Information

According to the police complaint, Jagatsukh Industries Private Limited, based in Alamgir, Ludhiana, entered into discussions with the foreign company in 2022 for the manufacture of advanced self-propelled boom sprayers.

The complainant alleged that company representatives assured them they would not set up a separate manufacturing facility in India, leading the local firm to invest in production infrastructure and share technical data required for the collaboration.

Police said the complaint alleges that during factory visits, representatives of the partner company gained access to confidential engineering designs, manufacturing processes, technical drawings, supplier information, and other proprietary business records.

The partnership agreement was reportedly signed on May 24, 2023.

Allegations of Patent Misuse and Business Competition

Investigators claim the foreign company later established an Indian subsidiary despite earlier assurances and allegedly terminated the manufacturing agreement without prior notice.

The complainant further alleged that confidential designs obtained during the partnership were subsequently used to file patent applications in India and facilitate commercial production of similar agricultural machinery.

Police are also examining allegations that imported machinery components were brought into the country using concessional documentation intended for testing purposes before being sold commercially.

Five Company Officials Named

Based on the complaint and preliminary inquiry, Dehlon Police have booked five company officials, including Managing Director Munenori Ohta, Deputy Director Takayuki Saito, managers Harmeet Singh and Ritwique Das, and corporate official Toshio Kondo.

The accused have been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act relating to cheating, theft, criminal breach of trust, and misuse of electronic information. The investigation remains at an early stage, and the allegations have not yet been tested in court.

Police officials stated that this is the second case registered against members of the same corporate group within a month. An earlier complaint involved the alleged failure to return four demonstration agricultural sprayers valued at more than ₹61.6 lakh.

Digital Evidence Under Examination

Investigators have launched a detailed forensic examination of emails, electronic records, server access logs, communication history, and patent filings to verify the allegations. Authorities are also reviewing customs and import documentation to determine whether any financial or tax-related violations were committed.

Officials said additional action will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigation.

Advisory for Manufacturing Companies

Industry experts have advised Indian manufacturers entering international business partnerships to strengthen safeguards for confidential information by implementing strict non-disclosure agreements, limiting access to sensitive technical data, and conducting regular intellectual property audits.

Businesses are also encouraged to verify patent registrations and maintain secure digital systems to reduce the risk of unauthorized use of proprietary designs and commercial information.

The investigation is continuing.

Chandigarh: A senior citizen couple from Chandigarh’s Sector 23-C has allegedly lost more than ₹2.26 lakh after falling victim to an online fraud in which scammers impersonated customer support executives from a well-known home services platform.

The Cyber Crime Police Station in Sector 17 has registered a case and initiated a technical investigation into the phishing operation. Authorities have already frozen one of the suspected beneficiary bank accounts while tracing the movement of the stolen money through multiple financial channels.

Fraud Began with Fake AC Service Call

According to the police complaint, Harish Chander Madan received an unsolicited phone call from a person claiming to represent Urban Company, a popular home services provider. The caller, who introduced himself as Amit Kumar, offered a discounted air-conditioner servicing package ahead of the summer season.

After gaining the couple’s confidence, the fraudster convinced them to complete what was described as a mandatory digital verification process for booking the service. During the process, the victims were asked to click on links and enter sensitive banking details, including authentication credentials.

Investigators believe the information was used to gain unauthorized access to multiple bank accounts.

Over ₹2.26 Lakh Withdrawn

Police said unauthorized transactions were carried out between May 11 and May 12. The fraudsters allegedly transferred ₹1,74,149 from two bank accounts belonging to Harish Chander Madan, maintained with Punjab National Bank and Bank of India.

An additional ₹52,414 was withdrawn from three separate bank accounts held by his wife, Madhu Madan, taking the total financial loss to ₹2,26,563.

The couple discovered the fraud after reviewing transaction alerts received on their mobile phones and immediately reported the incident through the national cybercrime helpline.

Police Freeze Suspect Bank Account

Cyber investigators tracked the flow of funds to multiple bank accounts reportedly linked to individuals identified as Sachin, Sajit Ahmed, and Akhtar Khan.

Officials confirmed that one UCO Bank account associated with the investigation has been frozen to prevent further withdrawal of funds. Investigators are now examining bank records, mobile phone numbers, IP addresses, and digital transaction logs to identify those behind the scam.

Case Registered Under BNS

A criminal case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to cheating, impersonation, and criminal conspiracy.

Police are also investigating whether the same fraud network has targeted other victims in Chandigarh or neighboring states using similar methods.

Cyber Police Issue Public Advisory

Following the incident, cybercrime officials have urged citizens, particularly senior citizens, to remain cautious when receiving unsolicited calls offering discounted home services or requesting online payments.

Authorities advised consumers to avoid sharing banking credentials, OTPs, PINs, passwords, or clicking on links sent by unknown callers. Genuine service providers generally process bookings and payments only through their official mobile applications or websites.

Anyone who suspects cyber fraud should immediately report the incident by calling the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 or by filing a complaint through the official cybercrime reporting portal to improve the chances of recovering lost funds.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Suratgarh, Rajasthan: Police in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district have launched an investigation after a publishing distributor in Suratgarh was allegedly cheated of ₹9.5 lakh through a fraudulent bulk book order placed by individuals posing as representatives of educational institutions.

Investigators believe the suspects used forged documents, fake payment confirmations, and false corporate identities to obtain a large consignment of books without making any legitimate payment.

Fraudsters Used Fake Institutional Purchase Orders

According to the complaint, the accused approached the publisher claiming to be authorized procurement officials for reputed educational organizations. They allegedly submitted professional-looking purchase orders and maintained regular communication to gain the distributor’s confidence.

The suspects emphasized the urgency of the order, citing academic deadlines, and requested immediate dispatch of textbooks and reference materials. Trusting the authenticity of the documents and the buyer’s claimed credentials, the distributor released the consignment before receiving payment.

Fake Payment Proof Delayed Detection

To support the deception, the fraudsters allegedly shared fabricated bank transaction screenshots and counterfeit RTGS payment confirmations through messaging applications, creating the impression that the funds had already been transferred.

However, during a routine financial reconciliation, the publisher discovered that no payment had been credited to the company’s bank accounts.

Further inquiries revealed that the books had already been delivered and removed from the original destination. By the time the fraud was uncovered, the suspects had reportedly switched off their mobile phones, cut off communication, and shut down the fake digital platforms used during the transaction.

Police Probe Financial and Digital Evidence

Following the complaint, Suratgarh Police registered an FIR under relevant sections related to cheating, criminal breach of trust, and forgery involving electronic records.

Investigators are now examining digital evidence, including bank transaction records, mobile phone data, internet logs, and domain registration details, to identify those behind the fraud. Authorities are also working with telecom companies and financial institutions to trace the movement of the suspects and recover any possible evidence.

Businesses Urged to Strengthen Verification Procedures

The incident has prompted trade organizations and business associations to advise wholesalers and distributors to adopt stricter verification measures for high-value commercial transactions.

Industry experts recommend verifying buyer credentials directly with organizations, confirming receipt of funds through official banking channels rather than relying on payment screenshots, and avoiding the dispatch of goods until payments are fully credited.

Authorities say implementing stronger financial verification procedures can significantly reduce the risk of procurement fraud and protect businesses from similar scams in the future.