THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) yesterday said it has arrested two individuals for alleged large-scale estafa during an entrapment operation in Pasay City.
The arrest of Maverick Das Punjabi and Jazpher Macaraig Rayos came as businessman Manjinder “James” Kumar, who heads the Filipino Indian Commerce and Welfare Society Inc. (FICWSI), filed a complaint against the two suspects for allegedly using his name to victimize innocent people.
The NBI has formally charged the two with violation of Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code (large scale estafa), and Section 6 of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and computer-related identity theft under Section 4 (b) of the said law.
“Respectfully transmitted for inquest proceeding are the results of the investigation and operation conducted by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation-Office of the National Capital Region against subjects allegedly engaged in large-scale estafa and computer-related identity theft,” said the NBI transmittal letter to Pasay City Prosecutor Elmer Cris Rillo.
Based on the complaint filed by the NBI, Punjabi supposedly introduced himself to the victim, Cherry Ann Lepiten, as a nephew and agent of Kumar, saying the latter owned a lending company.
Punjabi allegedly claimed that he could process and secure the approval of a cash loan amounting to P20 million in exchange for a facilitation fee.
Believing his representations, Lepiten agreed and gifted Punjabi with a Hermes Birkin 35 Raisin Clemence in gold hardware, valued at P500,000 as facilitation fee.
Lepiten said that while waiting for the loan, a certain Kumar and his alleged employees communicated with her and persuaded her to give them luxury bags, jewelry, and other items worth P11.8 million.
However, she said she later learned that Kumar does not own a lending company and is not engaged in the money lending business.
She said she was able to communicate with the real Kumar through a friend who told her that he was not the person she had transacted with and that he has no connections to Punjabi.
Lepiten went to the NBI to seek assistance after Punjabi demanded anew last May 21 the amount of P42,000 as an additional facilitation fee for the release of her loan.
The NBI then proceeded to conduct an entrapment operation on May 27 at a restaurant in Pasay City which led to the arrest of Punjabi.
But while Punjabi was being processed by the arresting NBI agents, a person who introduced himself as “James Kumar” called his cellphone and demanded his share of the facilitation fee.
This prompted the NBI to trace the caller, leading to the arrest of “Kumar,” who was later identified as Rayos.
