Cyber Fraudsters nabbed (img: File)

Cyber criminals have been on the lookout to commit cyber fraud through various means across the country.A key link to one such organised cyber fraud racket, along with their depository accounts, have been busted in Gujarat. Police has nabbed two in this case, while the prime accused is currently on the run.

An organised cyber crime

Gandhinagar Local Crime Branch (LCB) has landed upon a large network of bank accounts used for cyber fraud and nabbed Mohammad Ismail Niyamat Ali Saiyed and his accomplice Sarfraz Rafiq Malek from Kalol.

The duo, on the directions of the rink’s mastermind, Ali, created Telegram groups and sourced people on a commission basis, who would in return grant them bank account details, in which the fraudulent money was dumped.

As per the police, Ali, who is currently on the run, has been operating from Mumbai.

Modus operandi of the fraudsters

The LCB team got information that the accused duo operating in Kalol were paying locals by luring them into an illicit rink.

The police got hold of the two, and further investigation revealed that they lured locals by offering a hefty commission of 2% in return for opening bank accounts at different banks in their names. The details were obtained through the Telegram group run by Mohammed Ismail and were then forwarded to Ali. The fraudulent money was transferred into these accounts and converted into USDT cryptocurrency. This racket has been operational for the past one and a half years.

Digital outreach of the accused

The investigation revealed that cyber fraudsters were connected to around 1,200 people across the country in Telegram groups. 200 of these accounts were eventually operated by the main accused.

A total of 25 groups were created on Telegram for illicit purposes. 52 Gmail accounts were also created by the accused.

Police action in this case

From the details found in around 200 current accounts, passbooks, cheque books, credit and debit cards of different banks through the mobile phones and transactions of the accused, a link of more than ₹44 lakh from a single account was established.

Around 114 accounts out of these were frozen, and another link for transactions worth crores in a mere two to three days from these accounts was established, which was sent to Ali from the seized mobile phone. Apart from this, a commission of more than ₹1 cr is said to have also been made to the account holders till now.

History-sheeter perpetrators

Gandhinagar range deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Virendrasinh Yadav said, “The accused used to deposit the fraudulent money in bank accounts by luring people with commissions through Telegram groups. A manhunt for Mumbai-based Ali, the mastermind, has also been launched, which will reveal the details of a large network of cyber frauds taking place across the country.”

Previously, a case was also registered in Ghaziabad against Sarfraz for committing ₹28 lakh fraud on the pretext of giving a job.

Later, Mohammad Ismail partnered with Sarfraz in this rink with an offer to give 50% of the commission he received.

Both accused were produced in Gandhinagar court on Nov 3, and a police remand for 14 days was sought. The court, in turn, has granted a six-day remand for both the accused, which may reveal further details of this case.

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