In a swift operation, the Commissionerate Police of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack has dismantled a well-organised interstate cyber fraud gang known as the “Katrisarai Gang of Bihar”, arresting 15 members and seizing electronic devices, SIM cards and a luxury vehicle.
Acting on credible intelligence on January 10, 2026, police raided a house at Plot No. 2171/16 on Tankapani Road in Badagada and arrested 12 members of the gang. The premises belonged to Debasish Tripathy, one of the key masterminds. The accused were produced in court and remanded on January 11. Further interrogation led to the arrest of three additional members the same day—Chandan Kumar (40), Pankaj Kumar (38) and Rishi Kumar (27)—all natives of Katrisarai in Nalanda district, Bihar.
Police identified Debasish Tripathy, Bitu @ Arjun, Bijaya and Pankaj as the main orchestrators. Pankaj allegedly procured customer databases from e-commerce platforms such as Naaptol and Meesho through agents in Bihar and arranged mule bank accounts for transferring defrauded money. The gang also obtained fake pre-activated SIM cards using forged documents to make calls and operate social media accounts.
The fraudsters targeted victims through three primary schemes:
1. Gift Voucher Scam: Debasish Tripathy, a web graphics designer, created professional-looking scratch cards, lucky coupons and offer letters promising expensive prizes or cash rewards. These were printed, sent to Kolkata and dispatched via Speed Post to victims across the country. When victims contacted the helpline numbers provided, fraudsters demanded “registration fees” ranging from ₹5,500 to ₹12,000, which victims transferred via UPI or QR codes to mule accounts.
2. Instant Loan Fraud: Fake Facebook advertisements offered low-interest loans from reputed lenders like Mudra Finance, IndiaBulls and Bajaj Finance. Victims who applied or called the helpline were asked to pay phased “processing fees”, GST or taxes amounting to ₹1,500–₹2,500 per transaction.
3. Kerala Lottery Scam: Advertisements on Facebook invited people to buy lottery tickets for just ₹49. After payment, victims—especially in Kerala—were contacted in Malayalam by gang members posing as officials and informed they had won large sums. To “release” the prize, victims were asked to pay 10% of the winnings (₹10,000–₹15,000) as tax or clearance fees, with further demands following.
Items seized include three mobile phones, one Toyota Urban Cruiser (registration BR-01-FB-5078), SIM cards, registers and incriminating documents. Investigation is ongoing to verify the full extent of the gang’s activities and identify additional accomplices.
The successful operation highlights the growing challenge of interstate cyber crime and the vigilance of Odisha Police in protecting citizens from online fraud.
