Authorities in Jharkhand have successfully disrupted a major cyber fraud operation, uncovering a sophisticated scheme that defrauded investors of an estimated ₹30 crore. The investigation, spearheaded by the Cyber Police of the Jharkhand CID, led to the arrest of seven individuals suspected of involvement. The criminals employed a complex network of 15,000 mule bank accounts to execute their fraudulent activities.
The arrested individuals are accused of using these mule accounts to conceal and launder funds obtained through cyber fraud. The funds were disguised as investments. The raids took place across six districts within Jharkhand. Law enforcement officials seized several items from the suspects, including mobile phones, SIM cards, ATM cards, and other pieces of evidence.
Key figures arrested include Roshan Kumar and Satish Kumar, both residents of Ranchi. Their accounts contained substantial sums of money. Also arrested were Jitendra Kumar Pappu from Jamtara, Nurez Ansari from Lohardaga, and others, with significant funds in their mule accounts. Their connections extended across multiple states in India.
The investigation began after the Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) identified a concerning trend of cybercriminals using mule accounts in Jharkhand. This prompted a deeper probe into the financial transactions and criminal network. Authorities revealed an intricate setup that allowed the fraudsters to transfer money quickly and discreetly using methods like UPI. This made tracing the fraudulent transactions difficult.
Further investigations are underway to locate and apprehend other individuals involved in the scheme, as well as to calculate the total losses incurred. The authorities are also investigating the source of the funds and tracking the network of cybercriminals.