Synopsis
Rajasthan Police have arrested five individuals involved in a significant cyber fraud operation under Operation Cyber Shield. They created fake businesses and conducted fraudulent transactions amounting to Rs 26 crore, targeting vulnerable individuals. Authorities are continuing their investigation to uncover the full extent of the fraud and the network behind it.Key Takeaways
- Five gang members arrested
- Rs 26 crore in fraudulent transactions
- Operation Cyber Shield initiated
- Fake firms and mule accounts created
- Investigation ongoing for accomplices
Jaipur, Jan 29 (NationPress) The Rajasthan Police, as part of the state-wide Operation Cyber Shield launched by the Police Headquarters, have apprehended five suspects who were operating as a gang involved in extensive cyber fraud.
The accused fabricated bogus companies, opened deceptive bank accounts in their names, and executed transactions totaling Rs 26 crore through these mule accounts.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Arshad Ali reported that during the operation, authorities confiscated 60 passbooks and chequebooks from different banks, along with 32 ATM and debit cards, 11 mobile phones, 8 SIM cards, 7 counterfeit rubber stamps, and several bank-related documents.
Investigations have uncovered that 66 complaints of cyber fraud from 16 different states were associated with the 60 seized bank accounts, as reported on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) of the Indian government.
A case has been filed at the Cyber police station, and further investigations are underway.
Under the supervision of Director General of Police (DGP) Utkal Ranjan Sahu and DGP (Cyber Crime, SCRB, and Technical Services) Hemant Priyadarshi, a specialized team consisting of the District Cyber Cell, Cyber police station, and District Special Teams was tasked with examining cyber fraud complaints logged on the NCRP and JMIS portals of the Indian government.
A comprehensive technical evaluation of the complaints led to the identification of fraudulent transactions amounting to Rs 26 crore across 60 bank accounts in the Hanumangarh area.
Following an intensive investigation, five principal gang members were arrested, including Akashdeep (28), Aditya Valmiki (23), Zakir Hussain (30), Kailash Khichad (26), and Nidhiraj Bishnoi (27).
During the interrogation, the suspects confessed to utilizing mule accounts for fraud through various schemes, including investment fraud (fake trading apps, Telegram scams enticing victims into stock market investments), illegal gaming platforms, and cryptocurrency fraud involving USDT transactions.
The illicitly obtained funds were withdrawn in cash and divided among the gang members.
Initial investigations also hint at the participation of bank employees, who may have aided in the fraudulent account openings, net banking, and cash withdrawals.
Authorities are conducting a thorough investigation into their involvement.
The gang registered fictitious companies on the Udyam portal of the Indian government.
They targeted vulnerable individuals such as drug addicts and those facing financial hardships, offering them money in exchange for using their documents to open bank accounts.
The fraudsters maintained control over all banking credentials -- passbooks, ATMs, chequebooks, SIM cards, and signed cheques.
Once money from cyber scams was deposited into these accounts, they withdrew the cash using signed cheques.
The Hanumangarh police are persistently investigating the network behind this extensive cyber fraud, with ongoing efforts to identify additional accomplices and potential victims, officials stated.
