Cyber fraud racket busted in Chh'garh; Rs 10 crore duped through shell companies, digital extortion

Bhopal, July 7 (IANS) In a major breakthrough against cybercrime, Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada police have dismantled an interstate fraud syndicate accused of duping victims of over Rs 10 crore through a sophisticated “digital arrest” scam.

The latest arrests were made the other day in Palghar, Maharashtra, where two key operatives, Arpit Singh (25) and Suraj Chauhan (23), both residents of Nalasopara East, Mumbai, were apprehended, police officials said.

The duo allegedly operated shell companies and opened multiple bank accounts to siphon off illicit funds. The arrests follow an earlier operation in which three suspects were nabbed from Jamnagar, Gujarat, in connection with the same case.

All five accused are believed to be part of a larger network that used intimidation tactics, impersonation of law enforcement officials, and forged documents to extort money from unsuspecting individuals.

The investigation began after an NMDC employee from Kirandul reported being defrauded of Rs 28 lakh.

On May 30, the victim received a WhatsApp call from someone claiming that a bank account had been opened in his name in Mumbai and was being used for illegal transactions, the officials said.

The caller, posing as a law enforcement officer, threatened arrest under money laundering charges and coerced the victim into transferring Rs 28 lakh to “settle” the case.

Realising the deception, the victim filed a complaint at Kirandul police station, prompting a swift investigation, the officer said.

The accused reportedly used shell companies to launder the extorted funds. During the raids, police recovered two mobile phones, 11 cheque books, eight ATM cards, three PAN cards, a company seal, and documents related to the fake company’s registration.

Only Rs 1 lakh in cash was recovered, suggesting that the bulk of the funds may have been routed through layered transactions or converted into cryptocurrency.

The case has been registered under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66(D) of the IT Act.

Authorities are now expanding their probe to trace additional suspects believed to be operating from other parts of Maharashtra and possibly beyond.

The Enforcement Directorate has also been alerted, given the scale and financial complexity of the fraud.

Dantewada police have urged the public to remain vigilant against such scams and to report any suspicious calls or financial requests immediately to the cybercrime helpline 1930.

--IANS

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