A cyber fraud network involving transactions exceeding Rs 210 crore was exposed in Gujarat, leading to the arrest of six individuals. The Cyber Centre of Excellence of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Crime in Gujarat conducted a coordinated operation that resulted in the arrests. The accused were apprehended in Vadodara following a targeted raid based on specific intelligence to combat the increasing cybercrime trend.
Officials revealed that the arrested individuals were part of an organized network driven by a common goal of financial gain. They were involved in opening multiple bank accounts in their names and others’, utilizing these accounts for transferring funds associated with cybercrime and online gaming activities. The accused obtained bank account kits and SIM cards from legitimate account holders to withdraw money through banks and ATMs using cheques and debit cards.
The coordinated actions of the accused were aimed at financial gain through the procurement and operation of multiple bank accounts for the transfer and withdrawal of fraudulently obtained funds. Additionally, they provided bank accounts and SIM cards to their associates to facilitate the diversion of fraud proceeds. Among the arrested individuals were Abdul Kabir Mohammad Ilyas Pathan, Vivek Vanzara, Mayank Bairwa, Rohit Varma, Mohit Rawal, and Dipesh Rajpurohit, also known as Montu.
The suspects had distinct roles within the network, with Pathan opening multiple bank accounts and withdrawing fraudulent funds for others, while Vanzara opened accounts in his and his associates’ names, earning commissions. Bairwa assisted in managing bank accounts, Varma withdrew money and earned commissions, Rawal facilitated connections through a mobile shop, and Rajpurohit oversaw a network of approximately 40 bank accounts. During the operation, authorities seized various items, including mobile phones, cheque books, passbooks, debit cards, a laptop, and QR codes used for bank payments.
Preliminary investigations into the recovered bank account details revealed connections to over 273 cyber fraud cases nationwide, with an estimated total amount of Rs 2,10,70,52,247. The seized mobile phones contained details of more than 50 bank accounts used by criminal groups across different states for committing offenses. The frauds associated with the network encompassed various types, such as digital arrest scams, investment fraud, UPI-related fraud, deposit fraud, loan fraud, part-time job fraud, and gaming-related fraud. Authorities are continuing their probe to uncover broader links to interstate and international networks engaged in cyber fraud.
