In a significant crackdown on digital fraud, the Surat cybercrime police have arrested two individuals, a fashion designer and his sister, for their alleged involvement in a sophisticated investment scam that siphoned off Rs 70 lakh from a local engineer. The investigation revealed a complex network used to fund operations of Chinese gangs based in Cambodia.
The Arrests and the Accused
The police apprehended Shraddha Gajbhiye (40) from Hyderabad, where she was employed with a private company. Her younger brother, Nilkanth Gajbhiye (35), was arrested in Nagpur. Both are originally natives of Nagpur.
Shraddha, a graduate in music who also holds a diploma in the Chinese language, was reportedly working as a translator for a Cambodia-based company. During her tenure there, she was introduced to a Chinese gang involved in digital investment scams. Lured by the promise of hefty commissions, she allegedly became a key link in their operation.
Modus Operandi of the Scam
The case came to light when a Surat-based engineer was defrauded. He received a link on social media introducing him to a woman named Sheela Shetty, who promised handsome returns on investments. Trusting the offer, the engineer transferred a total of Rs 70 lakh through multiple transactions. The scam was uncovered when he was prevented from withdrawing his investment and the promised profits.
Following the money trail, DCP (Cybercrime) Bishakha Jain stated that investigators traced funds from a Delhi-based bank account to one in Nagpur. "On further scrutiny, we found that 435 mobile numbers used by Chinese gangs were recharged using money from this account," Jain explained.
The Recharge Racket and Commission
This clue led police to the dealer who recharged the numbers, identified as Nilkanth. During interrogation, he confessed to recharging the 435 SIM cards with Rs 1.29 lakh on the instructions of his sister, Shraddha. For this service, the siblings jointly received a commission of Rs 43,000.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Shraddha was tasked by a Chinese man in Cambodia to facilitate the recharges for mobile numbers actively used in executing various digital scams across India. A police check revealed that these 435 numbers are already implicated in 34 different FIRs registered in various states.
Broader Implications and Investigation
The arrests highlight the transnational nature of modern cybercrime, where local operatives are recruited to support large-scale international fraud networks. The use of a vast number of mobile SIMs is a common tactic to avoid detection and target victims across the country.
The Surat cybercrime cell is now delving deeper into the connections between the arrested siblings and the broader Chinese scam network operating from Cambodia. The case underscores the critical need for public vigilance against unsolicited investment offers on social media and the importance of verifying the legitimacy of any digital financial scheme before transferring funds.
