Dhaka — The Detective Branch (DB) Cyber and Special Crime Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has arrested Shahriar Khan, CEO of e-commerce site Nirapad.com, on charges of embezzling money.
DB Additional Commissioner of Police AKM Hafeez Akter told reporters at his BPM (Bar) office on Tuesday that Ishtiaq Ahmed, a victim of fraud, had filed a case under the Digital Security Act with the Adabar Police Station.
The DB Cyber Crime Division along with the Thana Police started a shadow investigation into the case. DB Cyber’s Organized Crime Investigation Team arrested Shahriar Khan in a raid in Shantinagar area of the capital on July 11, 2021 (Sunday) on the basis of relevant information in the investigation.
During the arrest, the police recovered 5 computers, 2 laptops, 2 hard disks, 13 check books of different banks, 13 Debit / Credit cards, 23 SIM cards, server information and other documents from him.
In August 2020, Shahriar launched an online-based e-commerce site called Nirapada.com, an intelligence official said about the Nirapada.com scam. Attract general customers through glamorous advertisements and extort money from them through a Payment Gateway (SSL Commerce).
They have been enticing customers by promising home delivery of mobile phone sets, computers, laptops, refrigerators, ovens and other electronics items within 30 days at a 50% discount.
The number of subscribers to the site is about 4 thousand and receives about 12 thousand orders in 1 month. Through which about 7-8 crore rupees is added as his bank.
Most of those who have ordered products are students and low paid employees. In the initial stage, they deliver some products and post a positive review on their page with those customers to build trust among the general customers.
Later, when they get more orders and advance payments, they start cheating customers by not delivering the products.
After a long time, when the customers realize that they have been cheated, they continue to demand redressal through various social media and media.
Those who were able to apply pressure were given bank checks for a refund but could not withdraw the money. If there are repeated allegations of check dishonour, the fraudster disappears by cutting off all communication with the customer. Ishtiaq Ahmed, a plaintiff, filed the case with Adabar Police Station on behalf of the numerous victims.
Answering a question, the DB official said that at present, there are more than 2,000 website-based and about one lakh Facebook-based e-commerce sites in Bangladesh.
The intelligence official said: “Instead of being tempted by glamorous advertisements, the marketplace verifies the product order and pays the price on cash-on-delivery instead of paying in advance.”
