Gujarat: Rs 39.41 crore inter-state cyber fraud uncovered, two held
Gandhinagar: The State Cyber Crime Cell of the CID in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, has dismantled an inter-state cyber fraud racket allegedly responsible for cheating victims of more than Rs 39.41 crore, officials said on Tuesday.
Two men, identified as Amit Gangera, a hair salon operator, and Riteshkumar Patel, a stationery trader, were arrested following an investigation based on technical surveillance, digital trail analysis and human intelligence inputs.
Both are residents of Ahmedabad.
According to investigators, the accused were linked to 59 cybercrime complaints registered across several states, involving a total amount of approximately Rs 39,41,26,382.
Out of these offences, 13 cases were registered in Maharashtra, 10 in Karnataka, five in Haryana, four in Delhi, four in Tamil Nadu, four in Uttar Pradesh, three in Gujarat, three in Kerala, three in Telangana, two in Andhra Pradesh, two in Ladakh, two in Odisha, one in Jharkhand, one in Punjab, one in Uttarakhand and one in West Bengal.
Officials said the accused allegedly rented bank accounts from financially distressed traders and used them to route funds obtained through fraudulent activities.
Examination of their mobile phones revealed details of more than 11 bank accounts and the use of multiple SIM cards.
Verification through the national cybercrime portal confirmed their alleged connection to complaints filed in different parts of the country.
Police said the group used various methods to target victims, including so-called digital arrest scams, investment and trading fraud, UPI-related fraud, training scams and part-time job offers.
Victims were contacted through social media platforms and messaging applications and were lured with promises of high returns in a short period.
They were then persuaded to transfer large sums of money, which were subsequently moved through different bank accounts to avoid detection.
An official said, “The arrests were made through technical analysis and digital tracking, and added that strict action against such gangs would continue.”
Further investigation will focus on analysing the money trail to identify other individuals involved.
During the operation, police seized three mobile phones and Rs five lakh in cash.