Two teens on radar for cheating players of banned online game
MIRA BHAYANDAR: Two teenagers are under the scanner of police investigations for their alleged involvement in duping a Gujarat-based player by using the shadow website of an online gaming app which has been banned by India in September-2020 along with 118 more applications due to security reasons. Officials from the Navghar police station in Bhayandar are waiting for their counterparts in the Satellite police station in Ahmedabad (Gujarat) to register an offence at their police station. Till then both the teenagers (aged 17 years) who live in Uttan- a coastal belt near Bhayandar, are at their homes but under constant observation, police said.
The matter came to light on Januar y 11, af ter a local shop owner approached the Navghar police af ter an altercation by the Gujarat-based victim. The shopkeeper had helped out one of the teenagers by giving him Rs 3,000 cash af ter being assured that his relative would credit the amount in his PayTM wallet. However, the shop-owner received a call from the victim who accused him of conniving with the extortionists who had fleeced him of Rs 35,000. Af ter convincing the caller that he had nothing to do with the transaction, the shopkeeper promised to help him out. When the teenager walked into his shop again with a similar request, the shopkeeper alerted the police.
“Since the victim stayed in their jurisdiction we immediately passed on the information to officials at the Satellite police station. They assured to register a FIR and come to Bhayandar for further investigations. On our part we have noted the phone number and addresses of the teenagers and their kin. Our teams are monitoring them, once the Gujarat police is here we will summon them.” confirmed Senior Police Inspector Sampatrao Patil. Prima facie investigations revealed that the teenagers hacked into gaming accounts of players and started extorting them in exchange of access to the banned game using a shadow website. Despite several attempts the Satellite police could not be contacted.