Odisha’s Jharsuguda police apprehended four members of a cybercrime gang involved in ‘Digital Arrest’ from Surat in Gujarat.
The accused persons in custody are identified as Shahrukh Umar Khatik (27), Sharad Sukalal Mali (25), Rahil Seikh (24), and Malek Shahrukh Hanif Isha.
Based on a cyber-fraud complaint lodged by Jagdish Karabhai Bhardwaj on the 14th of May 2024, Jharsuguda Sadar Police registered a case (268/2024) and started an investigation.
The case history reveals that during the incident, the accused persons posed themselves as officers of the Law Enforcement Agency and deceived an elderly person by claiming money laundering traces in his bank account. In this way, the fraudsters managed to swindle about Rs 34 lakhs from the victim through banking transactions in two phases.
Jharsuguda Cyber Cell team has been tracking this case for the last 5 months. After extensive analysis of digital evidence and in-depth financial investigation, zeroed down to second and third-layer suspects in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra followed by extensive raids in various areas of these states.
Jharsuguda Police teams apprehended four main conspirators and seized more than 20 mobile phones, 3 laptops, 3 computer systems and Rs. 02 lakhs case. Rs. 17 lakhs are in the process of being frozen while Rs 14 lakhs have been reverted to the bank account of the complainant., the police said.
An office being run by these cyber criminals in Gujara’s Surat where they conducted Digital Arrest Cyber Fraud was also sealed by the police.
Modus Operandi of Cyber Criminals for Digital Arrest
Criminals targeted vulnerable old-age couples, left alone with high bank accounts. They disguised themselves and projected themselves as senior officers of Law Enforcement Agencies. They even threatened victims by portraying themselves as senior officers to officers of district police.
They threatened victims by saying that their names have been reflected in Money Laundering cases. If they do not respond immediately, nobody can save them. They also told that local police also will not be able to help victims.
They also told victims that as of now they have been placed under ‘Digital Arrest”. To save themselves, victims will have to comply with whatever they are saying. They called victims through Skype call. They have prepared an Excel sheet having the UPI (Google Pay and PhonePe) IDs of hundreds of people. As soon as money gets credited to their account, immediately they transfer money in small chunks to hundreds of accounts.
