4 cybercriminals in police net, duped people of over Rs 1 crore
In a crackdown on cybercrime, the cyber crime police station, Chandigarh, has arrested five accused linked to three high-value online fraud cases involving fake investment platforms, impersonation scams and unauthorised bank transactions.
In the first case, Kanav Khanna, a resident of Sector 21-A, Chandigarh, lost over Rs 1.08 crore after being lured into a fake investment scheme via a WhatsApp group claiming to represent a leading global investment firm. The group initially allowed small returns to build trust, but later demanded additional payments under the guise of taxes. When the victim tried to recover his funds, he was blackmailed and threatened. Dharmendra Singh, aged 28, was arrested in connection with the investment scam. He was involved in facilitating transactions and collecting commissions through fraudulent accounts.
In another incident, a man from Sector 40 received a call from fraudsters claiming to be from a courier company and the Police Department. The accused falsely claimed that a parcel in his name contained narcotics and coerced him into installing Skype. They gained access to his bank account, secured a personal loan in his name, and siphoned off nearly Rs 10 lakh.
Thakor Gautam Mavaji, aged 24, and Patel Hirenkumar Mukeshkumar, aged 34, were apprehended for their role in impersonation and unauthorised loan fraud. They operated from Mehsana in Gujarat.
A third victim from Mani Majra was added to a fraudulent WhatsApp and Telegram group promising high returns for completing online tasks and surveys. Over time, he was deceived into paying
Rs 20.88 lakh through multiple transactions after being misled with false claims about task completion and withdrawal fee. Vaghela Praful, aged 42, a resident of Surat, was arrested for his involvement in the bogus online task scam. His bank account was found to have received proceeds from the fraud.
Following a coordinated investigation, the Chandigarh cyber crime police arrested four individuals from Gujarat linked to these scams. Arrests were made in Botad, Mehsana, Surat and Bharuch districts, where raids led to the apprehension of suspects who had opened bank accounts using fake documents and received defrauded funds. One of the accused admitted to opening an account in return for a commission, while others were directly involved in the execution of scams.
The police recovered key evidence, including bank records, KYCs and digital trails. Further investigation is in progress to trace more suspects and recover the remaining defrauded amounts. “Residents are advised to remain vigilant against unsolicited investment opportunities, suspicious phone calls and impersonation scams,” the police said.
Chandigarh