Ludhiana Industrialist Reports Nearly Rs 20 Crore Loss in Cryptocurrency Scam; Police Investigate
2 hours agoCrime
49LENS
2 SourcesLudhiana, India
TBNthebalanced.news

Ludhiana Industrialist Reports Nearly Rs 20 Crore Loss in Cryptocurrency Scam; Police Investigate

A Ludhiana industrialist, Jagdeep Singal, alleges losing nearly Rs 20 crore in a cryptocurrency scam involving a fake trading platform named 'Coinex'. The fraudsters, operating through fake digital identities and multiple mule bank accounts, lured him via Facebook and WhatsApp, showing inflated returns to build trust. Despite repeated attempts to withdraw funds, he was asked for additional payments. Punjab Police have registered an FIR and launched a detailed investigation to trace the accused and have considered forming a Special Investigation Team.

Political Bias
0%100%0%
Sentiment
28%
AI analysis of 2 sources · Published under editorial oversight by The Balanced News
Analysed 22 Apr 2026· How this analysis is produced· Editorial standards· Corrections

AI Analysis

Political bias across 2 sources
● Left 0%● Center 100%● Right 0%

The articles present a straightforward account focusing on the victim's experience and police response without political framing. Both sources emphasize law enforcement actions and legal provisions, reflecting a neutral stance. There is no evident political angle or partisan interpretation, with coverage centered on the crime and investigation details.

Sentiment — Negative (28/100)

The tone across the articles is primarily factual and serious, highlighting the significant financial loss and the complexity of the fraud. While the victim's predicament evokes concern, the coverage remains measured, focusing on investigative efforts rather than emotional or sensational language, resulting in a predominantly neutral to slightly negative sentiment.

How 2 sources covered this story

Each source's own headline, political lean, and sentiment — so you can see framing differences at a glance.

SourceTheir headlineBiasSentiment
hindustantimesLudhiana industrialist loses 20 crore to cyber fraudstersCenterNegative
thetribuneLudhiana industrialist duped of Rs 20 crore in crypto scam; Punjab Police launch probe - The TribuneCenterNegative

Coverage timeline

thetribune broke this story on 21 Apr, 12:43 pm. Other outlets followed.

  1. 1
    thetribune21 Apr, 12:43 pm
    Ludhiana industrialist duped of Rs 20 crore in crypto scam; Punjab Police launch probe - The Tribune
  2. 2
    hindustantimes22 Apr, 12:26 am
    Ludhiana industrialist loses 20 crore to cyber fraudsters

Lens Score breakdown

49/100
Public interest32/100
Coverage gap100%

Story is receiving appropriate media attention relative to public interest.

Accountability flags

TBN's analysis identified the following accountability dimensions in this story.

  • financial irregularity

    This story involves alleged financial misconduct — unexplained transactions, procurement irregularities, or misuse of public/shareholder funds.

Who's involved

Institutions and figures named across source coverage.

Government
Punjab PolicePatiala PoliceCyber Crime Division
Corporate
Axis BankIDFC BankBank of BarodaBandhan BankICICI Bank

Story context

Category
Crime
Location
Ludhiana, India
Sources analysed
2
Last analysed
22 Apr 2026
Key entities
CroreIndian rupeeLudhianaCryptocurrencyInformation Technology Act, 2000First information reportLakhWhatsAppFacebookDigital walletCybercrimePunjab Police (India)