Varanasi: The Cyber Police Station, Chandauli team on Friday busted an inter-state gang involved in online financial fraud and arrested three individuals, including a woman, for allegedly defrauding people from various states by luring them with offers of easy loans.
The arrested persons were identified as Virendra Kumar, Ashish Patwa and Soni, all residents of Chandauli district.
According to police, the accused lured victims from rural and economically weaker sections with promises of loans at low interest rates in the name of “Satkar Nidhi Limited” and other fake microfinance companies.
The accused then allegedly extorted amounts ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 in the name of processing fees, insurance and other charges. A police team led by in-charge of Cyber Police Station, Chandauli, raided the office in Chandauli on Friday, and arrested the accused, who were allegedly attempting to flee.
A large quantity of electronic equipment, banking documents, fake Aadhaar cards, mobile phones, seals and other records were recovered from their possession.
During interrogation, the accused revealed that they had opened bank accounts using fake documents in various banks, including Central Bank of India, Baburi branch. Money obtained from cyber fraud and online fraud taking place in various states of the country was called into these accounts.
After this, the accused, after deducting their 1.5% commission, used to transfer and dispose of the remaining money at various places through their other associates.
To avoid arrest, the accused had also prepared and kept with them forged Aadhaar cards bearing their actual photos but showing fake names and addresses.
Police said analysis of records available on the Samanvay portal and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) showed that 16 cyber complaints from various states were linked to the bank accounts and activities of the accused.
In addition, one case of fraud was found registered against them in Gautam Buddha Nagar district (Noida), and about Rs 1.42 crore obtained from cyber fraud was on hold.
