New Delhi, Oct 13 The Delhi Police has arrested 11 men for their alleged involvement in multiple digital-arrest cases involving a total amount of more than Rs 12 crore, including one in which a 69-year-old retired scientist and former director in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology was cheated, with police freezing almost the entire amount, an official said on Tuesday.
The accused allegedly had links to handlers in Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries, officials said, adding that an analysis of online chats and other digital evidence has revealed links to 78 complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal across different states, involving a total amount of Rs 73 crore.
The investigation began after Pradeep Kumar Das, a retired scientist and former director in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, alleged that he was cheated of Rs 1.25 crore in a digital-arrest scam, police said, adding that the entire amount has been frozen.
On August 14, the victim received a call from persons posing as officers of the Delhi Police, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). They allegedly claimed that his Aadhaar details were misused in a money-laundering case and threatened him with arrest.
Under the pretext of verifying his funds, the accused allegedly obtained his bank details and induced him to transfer Rs 1,25,09,000 through RTGS to three bank accounts. They also allegedly kept him under continuous video surveillance and controlled his movements, police said.
An FIR was registered at the Special Cell police station and a probe launched to trace the money trail and identify those involved.
During the investigation, police received information that a group was arranging bank accounts for use in cybercrime and operating a bank account in the name of M R Traders. Police raided a premises near Ramphal Chowk in Dwarka’s Sector 7, where five men were found staying.
The accused were identified as Mohammad Mahfuzar Rahman (41), Izhar Alam (34), Altaf Hussain (45), Intekhab (27) and Anish Khan (31). They were allegedly operating a bank account to facilitate cyber-fraud transactions.
An examination of seized mobile phones revealed Telegram chats and a suspicious application named “SMS Tools”, which investigators suspect was configured to automatically forward text messages, including one-time passwords (OTPs), to people involved in cybercrime activities operating from abroad.
Khan allegedly acted as the main handler, coordinating with foreign-based associates through Telegram and managing the bank account used for the transactions. He allegedly received a commission of 5.5 per cent in USDT, a cryptocurrency, which was converted into Indian rupees through cryptocurrency exchanges and platforms, police said.
Alam allegedly introduced the account holder to Hussain, who arranged mule bank accounts through Telegram. Intekhab allegedly coordinated the group’s travel and accommodation in Delhi and kept watch over the account holder during their stay, investigators said.
Police said six other accused were arrested in connection with the case involving Das. They were identified as Neeraj Kumar Mittal, Kanwar Pal, Saif Ali Khan, Ranbir, Prabhat Rai alias Ashutosh and Anil Sagu alias Krishna. The accused allegedly played different roles in providing bank accounts, facilitating transactions and collecting and distributing commissions.
The investigation has also helped police trace links to cyber-fraud cases registered in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.
In a case registered by the Cyber Crime police station in Andhra Pradesh’s Vijayawada, a 79-year-old man, Boppana Baparao, was allegedly cheated of Rs 10.25 crore through a digital-arrest scam. Following prompt intervention and coordination with the Andhra Pradesh Police, an amount of Rs 1.96 crore was first put on hold followed by another sum of Rs 7.25 crore.
The accused have also been linked to a separate digital-arrest case registered by the Delhi Police in June, in which the complainant was allegedly cheated of Rs 77 lakh. Further investigation in the case is underway.
Police have seized six mobile phones containing chats, cryptocurrency transaction records and other digital evidence, along with a chequebook linked to the bank account under investigation.
Investigators have identified seven online channels allegedly used for the sale and purchase of mule bank accounts.
(PTI News)
