Hamirpur (HP), Feb 10 Police on Tuesday registered a case of cheating against unknown individuals after a judge here was allegedly defrauded of Rs 6 lakh under the guise of doubling the amount, an official said.
The case came to light after the victim did not receive the promised profits.
According to the complaint, the judicial officer saw an advertisement for an attractive investment scheme on a social media platform. Drawn by the advertisement which claimed to give high returns, promising to nearly double the invested sum within a short period, the judge expressed interest.
Subsequently, he was contacted by the alleged fraudsters who identified themselves as representatives of a reputed investment firm and initiated a conversation.
The accused allegedly tricked the judicial officer into investing Rs 6 lakh in several installments. However, when the judicial officer attempted to withdraw the money, they refused.
Hamirpur Superintendent of Police Balbeer Singh said, based on the complaint, an FIR has been registered at the Sadar police station under section 318 (4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
He said cases of investment fraud perpetrated through social media are increasing, and cautioned the public not to invest in any online investment scheme without proper investigation and verification.