Major Cyber Fraud Uncovered in Bareilly: Five Arrested Including a Doctor
Significant Cyber Crime Bust in Bareilly
Bareilly News: A significant cyber fraud ring has been dismantled in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. The local police have apprehended five suspects, notably including a homeopathic doctor. Investigations revealed that this group was in contact with a cyber gang based in China, executing scams across the nation. Among the arrested, three are residents of Bareilly, while one is a doctor from Ambedkar Nagar and another hails from Barabanki. Authorities recovered weapons, mobile devices, laptops, bank account documents, and other crucial evidence from their possession.
According to CO Ashutosh Shivam, the police received a tip-off, prompting Cantt police station chief Sanjay Dheer to set up a blockade on Krishna Colony Road. They intercepted a black car containing the five suspects. During questioning, they identified themselves as Shakeeb Ali, Rajkumar, Ashish Singh, Dr. Sachendra Kumar, and Babloo alias Madhoram. Further investigation revealed that the gang's leader, Sumit, operates from Lucknow via WhatsApp.
The gang members were connected through a WhatsApp group that included Chinese cybercriminals. They utilized APK files and fake apps to gain access to victims' mobile devices, subsequently siphoning funds from their bank accounts.
Doctor's Account Used for Fraudulent Transactions
Investigations indicated that any money obtained from cyber fraud was initially deposited into Dr. Sachendra's account before being transferred to various other accounts. The gang had established a trust named SR Sans and Groups Trust, under which multiple bank accounts were opened to facilitate the laundering of scam proceeds, making detection difficult. Dr. Sachendra reportedly kept about 15% of the funds for himself, while the remainder was distributed among other gang members and their leader, Sumit.
Learning Fraud Techniques in Tihar Jail
Arrested suspect Shakeeb disclosed that he learned cyber fraud techniques from individuals he met while incarcerated in Tihar Jail. He later collaborated with Sumit, Dr. Sachendra, and others to form this gang. The members lured individuals into opening bank accounts in their names, which were then exploited for transferring scam money.
Nationwide Scam Network
Police investigations revealed that approximately 22 bank accounts linked to this trust were used for scams across the country, involving transactions worth crores. Hundreds of complaints have been filed against these accounts on the NCRP portal.
In one instance, a trading scam amounting to around 1.55 crores was uncovered. The trust's name facilitated large transactions without raising immediate suspicion.
Using APK Files and Digital Arrest Tactics
Authorities discovered numerous APK files on the suspects' mobile devices and laptops, which were used to infiltrate victims' phones. Additionally, they employed tactics such as investment scams and threats of digital arrest to extort money. The police also seized a firearm, cartridges, multiple mobile phones, checkbooks, ATM cards, copies of Aadhaar and PAN cards, and other documents from the gang.
Currently, the police are on the lookout for the gang leader Sumit and other absconding suspects, with officials stating that the entire network will soon be exposed.