Surat Cyber Police Uncover Major ATM Fraud Operation in Limbayat Raid
In a significant breakthrough against organized cybercrime, the Surat Cyber Crime Police have dismantled a sophisticated racket operating from a residential house in the Limbayat area. This operation played a pivotal role in facilitating cyberfraud cases across India by executing rapid cash withdrawals from ATMs immediately after fraudulent funds were deposited into compromised bank accounts.
Massive Haul of Evidence and Cash Seized During Raid
During a meticulously planned raid, law enforcement officials confiscated a substantial amount of incriminating evidence and assets. The seizure included Rs 18.50 lakh in cash, alongside 16 debit cards, 24 bank passbooks, 40 SIM cards, 9 mobile phones, 6 chequebooks, numerous deposit slips, and a cash-counting machine. Police had to break open a locked room within the premises to access these items, which also contained detailed records of several Bank of Maharashtra and Axis Bank accounts.
Arrests and Nationwide Fraud Network Exposed
The police have arrested Bhavesh Shinde (22) and have registered cases against two absconding accomplices: Harish Chaudhary and Rishikesh Shinde. According to the First Information Report (FIR), authorities received a credible tip-off about Shinde's involvement in cyberfraud activities. He was apprehended while allegedly en route to deliver cash to his co-accused. Subsequent interrogation led investigators to the operational base in Subhashnagar, Limbayat.
Investigations via the NCCRP portal revealed a staggering connection to 56 cheating complaints totaling Rs 47.44 crore. These complaints originated from multiple states including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, West Bengal, Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh, highlighting the pan-India reach of this criminal network.
Modus Operandi: Rapid Cash Withdrawals to Evade Detection
Police explained that the accused were specifically tasked with a critical function in the fraud chain: swiftly withdrawing cash from bank accounts using ATM cards that received money from cyberfraud victims. This tactic was designed to ensure that the illicit funds could not be traced or frozen by authorities in time, thereby laundering the proceeds effectively.
During questioning, Bhavesh Shinde confessed that his role involved withdrawing cash from various ATMs across Surat. He admitted to having withdrawn approximately Rs 75 lakh over the past few months, all of which was handed over to the main accused. In exchange for his services, Shinde reportedly received Rs 50,000 from Harish and Rishikesh.
Organized Daily Withdrawal Operations Uncovered
Further revelations indicate that Shinde had recruited several youths to assist in the cash withdrawal operations. Together, they systematically targeted ATMs in key areas of Surat, including Bhatar, Adajan, Sahara Darwaja, and City Light. The group managed to withdraw between Rs 3 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh daily from different compromised accounts, demonstrating a highly organized and efficient criminal enterprise.
This crackdown by the Surat Cyber Crime Police marks a crucial step in combating the escalating threat of cyberfraud in India, exposing the intricate methods used by criminals to exploit banking systems and victimize citizens nationwide.
