In a major breakthrough, the Chandaka Police in Bhubaneswar arrested five members of a cybercrime gang involved in a massive ₹20 crore online fraud.
The arrests were made on Sunday, following a complaint that unexpectedly led to the exposure of the gang’s intricate operations.
The accused, including the mastermind from Bihar and four members of a single family from Bhubaneswar, were apprehended after a dramatic turn of events involving a kidnapping allegation.
The main accused, Sameer Kumar Bubhe (35) from Nalanda, Bihar, orchestrated the scam, leveraging mule bank accounts to siphon off illicit funds. The other four—Bhagaban Sahu (21), Chiranjib Raut (21), Amritarani Raut (50), and Akanksha Raut (21)—all residents of Sangharsavihar under Chandaka police jurisdiction, were part of the same family and played key roles in the operation. The police seized three mobile phones and a car (registration: BR21AA9345) from the accused.
The investigation revealed that the gang’s operations began in February 2025 when the four Chandaka-based accused met Sameer in Prayagraj. Sameer instructed them to open mule accounts—bank accounts in their names but controlled by him for illegal transactions. In return, the account holders received a percentage of the funds. Since May, over ₹20 crore has been funnelled through these accounts, raising red flags with bank authorities who warned the accused against such activities.
In a twist, the Chandaka-based accused lured Sameer to Bhubaneswar under the pretext of opening more mule accounts. Upon his arrival, they allegedly kidnapped him, held him hostage, and demanded ₹25 lakh at knifepoint. After two days in captivity, Sameer managed to contact an associate, claiming he needed to arrange the money. He was allowed to visit a hotel in Chandaka, from where he filed a kidnapping complaint with the police.
Led by Officer Samita Mishra, the Chandaka Police investigated the complaint and uncovered Sameer’s role as a professional cybercriminal. He had been using online apps to defraud victims and channel funds through mule accounts. Further interrogation of the other four accused unravelled the entire scam, leading to the arrest of all five. They have been produced in court, and the police plan to take them on remand to investigate potential links to a larger cybercrime network, as confirmed by Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena.
This operation highlights the growing menace of cyber fraud and the sophisticated methods used by criminals to exploit digital systems. The police are now intensifying efforts to trace additional accomplices and prevent further financial crimes in the region.
