Delhi Police Bust Cyber Gang Orchestrated by Dubai Handler; Bank Relationship Manager Arrested
Delhi Police have dismantled a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate operating under the direction of a handler based in Dubai. The operation led to the arrest of five individuals, including a bank relationship manager, for their involvement in a scheme that defrauded victims across at least 12 states.
The cybercriminals employed a strategy involving the creation of bogus companies and the use of multiple current accounts to layer stolen funds before transferring them abroad. According to authorities, the arrested bank relationship manager played a crucial role in the scheme by facilitating the opening of fake accounts used to move the illicit money.
The Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police’s Special Cell led the investigation, which uncovered a complex web of deceit and technological manipulation. Authorities were alerted after a complaint was filed regarding a victim who had been defrauded of ₹91 lakhs under the guise of lucrative returns from stock or crypto trading. The victim was added to a WhatsApp group where perpetrators offered stock recommendations. Lured by the promises, the complainant opened an account on a fraudulent website and transferred ₹91 lakhs into 19 different accounts.
As part of the investigation, police froze one of the fraudulent accounts registered under the name of Gaurav Trading. However, the suspects attempted to regain control of the funds by sending a forged email to the bank manager, impersonating an Investigating Officer from the IFSO unit and requesting that the account be unfrozen. The email was found to have been sent using ProtonMail, confirming its fraudulent nature.
Through digital footprint analysis, police identified and arrested two primary suspects, Ajay and Mohit, followed by the arrest of five more individuals, including a contractual employee of a nationalized bank, Shankar.
In a similar case, the Gurgaon police arrested Amit Kumar, a relationship manager with RBL Bank, for opening 32 accounts for cyber frauds in exchange for a commission of ₹20,000 per account. Kumar collected documents like Aadhaar and PAN cards, applied for SIM cards with these IDs, and opened new bank accounts without the individuals' knowledge. He then provided these accounts and SIM cards to fraudsters.
These cases highlight the increasing sophistication of cybercrime and the involvement of insiders in facilitating these illegal operations. The Delhi Police's successful bust underscores the importance of vigilance and swift action in combating cyber fraud.
