PUNE: Computer engineer Ajit Patnaik (35), arrested for multiple UPI scams last year, was released on bail only three months ago. But he is back in jail now for duping four businessmen of Rs 2.16 lakh in similar UPI frauds between August 13 and October 12.Patnaik hails form Cuttack in Odisha, and has been arrested three times in the past. In the recent case, he was taken into custody from his rented home in Chandannagar on November 25 and was sent to police remand till November 30.Police said Patnaik posed as an official from a UPI company and visited his victims to review the functioning of their e-wallet.He would ask them to convert their pre-paid service into post-paid service and would offer them a musical sound box in return, inspector (crime) Manisha Patil told TOI on Tuesday.On the pretext of checking their phones, he would collect their personal details like Aadhaar card number, and would avail loans in their names. He would then transfer the money into his account within minutes, Patil said, adding that the fraud came to light after the finance companies began pursuing the victims to repay the loans.After he was released on bail, Patnaik again began targetting small-time businessmen in Chandannagar and Vadgaonsheri areas, police said.CCTV footage captured images of Patnaik. The victims had also identified him. Our team analyzed the footage and took him into custody from his rented accommodation behind the Chandannagar vegetable market on November 25. During questioning, Patnaik admitted to his involvement in the cheating, the officer said.Police are verifying claims made by Patnaik that he was earlier working in an IT company in Hadapsar, the inspector said. He then came up with the idea to pose as a UPI official to dupe victims. He used the money to have fun and to buy expensive items. We have frozen three of his bank accounts with Rs 80,000, the officer added. Investigations also revealed that Patnaik had tried to dupe a fifth businessman but failed. We also published the following articles recentlyOdisha CM Naveen Patnaiks trusted aide V Karthikeyan Pandian joins BJD, likely No. 2 in partyNaveen Patnaiks trusted aide V Karthikeyan Pandian joined the BJD and is likely to head a team formulating the partys vision for 2036. Pandian, a former IAS officer, is expected to have a prominent position in the party and play a key role in preparing for the 2024 elections. Naveen Patnaik welcomed Pandian to the party and expressed confidence in his dedication to serving the people of Odisha. The BJD believes that Pandians administrative and political experience will benefit the party.Trio dupe IAF officer of 8L over renting his flat, bookedA private company director and two employees have been booked by Chandannagar police for cheating an Indian Air Force officer of Rs 8.38 lakh. The officer had advertised his flat for rent and the company expressed interest in a five-year lease. They signed an agreement, but the company did not furnish the flat or repay the officer. The company officials shut down operations and fled.Five task fraud victims file plaints, then lose more money to crooksThe Pune cyber police station has encountered cases of victims falling prey to online task frauds and losing more money in their attempts to recover their initial losses. Glib-talking fraudsters lure citizens into making large investments with promises of high returns, only to disappear once they have pocketed the savings. Despite being warned not to believe any promises of refunds, the victims are sweet-talked by the same crooks into transferring more money. This pattern of victims losing more money highlights the failure to learn from previous experiences.

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