In a major breakthrough, police have busted an interstate cyber fraud gang from Rajasthan and arrested six accused involved in an online scam worth Rs 20 lakh. In the joint operation, Supela police along with the ACCU (Anti-Crime and Cyber Unit) busted the gang arrested six fraudsters. Police sources informed that the accused gang members were identified as Murli Janagal (19), Gopal Soni (25) and Banwari Sharma (28), all residents of Bikaner, Rajasthan; Moti Singh (18), Motilal Sharma (18) and Pankaj Sharma (24), all residents of Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The case came to light after a complaint was lodged by Yash Batra, a resident of Sundar Nagar, Bhilai, and Director of Sairam Wheels Private Limited. He reported that unknown individuals created a fake WhatsApp profile using the photograph of Company Director Shrichand Batra and fraudulently induced the company’s accountant to transfer Rs 20 lakh into an HDFC Bank account. The company had an internal WhatsApp group for financial transactions among its three Directors. Payments were made only after approval from any Director.

 

The accused exploited this system by impersonating a Director through a fake display picture and messages, thereby deceiving the accountant into transferring the funds. The police said that considering the seriousness of the case, a special team was formed under the direction of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Vijay Agrawal and the team initiated technical surveillance, bank account analysis, and intelligence gathering. Police received intelligence that the accused were staying at a hotel near Rathore Chowk in Raipur, frequently changing locations to evade arrest. Acting swiftly, police teams conducted coordinated raids and surveillance operations and apprehended the accused near Jai Stambh Chowk, Raipur under suspicious circumstances. Others were caught while searching for rental houses in the Budha Talab area. During interrogation, the accused confessed that they travelled from Rajasthan to different cities, stayed in hotels or rented houses under false identities, and carried out cyber frauds. The police have seized several incriminating items from the accused including Rs 1.20 lakh in cash.