Police return Rs 1.91 crore to cybercrime victims by organising fair in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: The police on Wednesday organised a fair in Bhubaneswar and returned a total of Rs 1.91 crore to cybercrime victims who were defrauded between January and March this year, an official statement said.

The fair - 'Money Return Mela' - was organised by the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate.

The Bhubaneswar Cyber Crime and Economic Offences Police Station took swift and effective measures to address public grievances and recover the defrauded money.

The victims were cheated through cybercrimes like digital arrest, dealership fraud, APK/link fraud, customer care fraud, fake website frauds and others, the statement said.

In the first three months of 2025, the police recovered a total of Rs 1,02,78,555, Rs 43,66,492, and Rs 44,75,060, respectively. It was given back to the complainants on Wednesday, the statement said.

Legal actions through criminal miscellaneous cases (CMCs) have enabled the return of significant amounts to victims' bank accounts, it said.

In addition to monetary recovery, proactive steps have also been taken to curb the spread of fraudulent content online, the police statement said, adding that a total of 65 fake accounts on various social media platforms have been identified and blocked.

Efforts have also been made to assist victims in recovering or regaining control of their compromised accounts, it said.

The police also set up a helpdesk with a WhatsApp number and urged the victims to share information about any cybercrime within Bhubaneswar.