New Delhi, July 9, 2010 Press Release

Now BSES Helpline numbers 399 99 707 and 399 99 808 help Delhi Police nab gang of imposters.

• Masquerading as BRPL officials, imposters defrauded customers in posh South and West Delhi areas of Vasant Kunj, Saket, Janakpuri and Vikaspuri

• Gang followed a well rehearsed methodology

• Targets were carefully chosen – after obtaining their personal details

• Posing as customers, they used to verify the detail from the BRPL Call Centre (39999707)

• Gang’s mobile number was put on active watch at the BRPL Call Centre

• Used to call the victim an hour before visiting their premises – giving clues to BRPL Vigilance Team about their next move – finally leading to their arrest (FIR No 179/2010)

• Like modern call centers – BSES’ Call Centre too records all conversations for training and monitoring purposes

• Gang’s Call Centre records are proving to be vital evidence

Recently, with active help from the BSES Call Centre, Vasant Kunj Business Team and BSES’ Vigilance Team, Delhi Police managed to arrest a gang of imposters, including the mastermind and his two accomplices operating in South and West Delhi.

Over the last few weeks, this gang led by one Rajesh Sharma alias Madan Lal Sharma had managed to defraud and extort money from nearly half a dozen residents of posh South and West Delhi areas of Vasant Kunj, Saket, Vikaspuri and Janakpuri.

Modus Operandi

In all the cases, the gang had used a common modus operandi. They chose their targets carefully. First they painstakingly collected their target customer’s details (Name, Phone No, CRN No, Address etc). Subsequently, posing as the customer himself, they used to call the BRPL Call Centre (39999707) and verify the information and get hold of the missing details like the amount of the last bill paid etc. Armed with this information, they used to visit their target’s residence, and convince them of their being bona fide company officials.

After establishing their credentials, they used to scare their victims by telling them that their meter is tampered to run slow and it would invite huge penalties and the subsequent embarrassment. Depending on the customers’ reaction – frightened in most cases – they used to propose a “settlement”- and extort money and then disappear.

Role of the Call Centre

A customer in Vasant Kunj (name withheld on request) – also a victim– alerted BSES officials and gave them description of the gang members and the mobile number of the “BSES official”. The mobile number was given to the BRPL Call Centre and put under active watch – giving vital clues about their next move. Over the next few days – as the gang went about targeting their customers – they used the same mobile number to call both their potential victims and the Call Centre.

They would call the Call Centre – roughly an hour before they visited their targets residence – and verify the details posing as the customer. Armed with this information, BSES’ Vigilance Team along with Delhi Police officials tried to reach the residence of the target in time and tried to catch the gang red handed.

On the 4^th attempt, they managed to apprehend the mastermind – Rajesh Sharma alias Madan Lal Sharma. During his questioning by the Police, he revealed the details of his two accomplices – who also have been arrested by the Police. A FIR No 179/2010 u/s 419, 420 and 511 of the IPC has been lodged at the Vasant Kunj Police Station and the accused remanded to Police custody.

Moreover, like all modern state-of-the-art Call Centers, BSES’ Call Center too records calls for training and monitoring purposes. Call records from the said mobile number are proving to be a clincher of evidence.

According to a BRPL official, “Investigations into the case have revealed that the gang had duped 4 customers in Vasant Kunj and extorted amounts of upto Rs 20,000. The gang had contacted an equal number in Janakpuri and Vikaspuri and was in active negotiation with them."

Advisory

According to a BSES spokesperson, “BSES urges customers to guard against unscrupulous elements - not to get intimidated by their threats and false assurances – and not to give them any money – whatever be the reason. All Enforcement related payments (fines and penalties) are to be made only at designated BSES offices.

“Customers are advised to ascertain and verify the identity of persons, claiming to be from BSES, who visit their premises. Please ask for their Identity Cards to ascertain its genuineness. In case you have any doubt or notice anything suspicious, please immediately alert the nearest BSES office or 39999707 (BRPL) / 39999808 (BYPL) or inform the local Police on # 100”, added the spokesperson.

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Prashant Dua	Chandra P Kamat
Corporate Communications	Corporate Communications
39999870 / 9312007822	39999642/9350130304