8 cyber crooks held for investment fraud racket, police say Rs 4 crore routed via mule accounts
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has busted an inter-state investment fraud racket operated by a handler based in Cambodia, an official said on Sunday.
Police have arrested eight people following raids conducted across Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi and claimed to have uncovered Rs 4 crore which was routed into mule accounts within just 14 days, he said.
The arrests were made after a 42-year-old woman from Vasant Kunj was cheated of Rs 15.58 lakh on the pretext of high-return stock market investments, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Amit Goel said.
"WhatsApp numbers used to contact victims were being operated from Cambodia, while Indian associates facilitated the opening and operation of mule accounts on a commission basis," the DCP said.
Those arrested have been identified as Vanapatla Sunil Kumar (43), Sakinala Shankar (61), Manoj Yadav (38), Sandeep Singh (30), Aditya Pratap Singh (23), Rahul (30), Sheru (38) and Sompal (34).
"We have recovered 10 high-end mobile phones and 13 SIM cards from the accused, which were allegedly used to operate multiple mule bank accounts, transfer cheated money and communicate with handlers abroad," the DCP said.
According to police, an e-FIR was registered on November 7, last year, after the complainant reported being lured through WhatsApp messages offering expert guidance in stock trading with assured returns.
"She was persuaded to transfer Rs 15.58 lakh to various accounts controlled by the fraudsters. A team traced the money trail using technical surveillance and digital forensics. Investigators identified Sunil Kumar, a resident of Telangana, as a key supplier of mule bank accounts.
"He allegedly opened a fake firm in Keesara and arranged a current account in a private bank for routing cyber fraud proceeds," the official added.
During interrogation, Kumar disclosed the involvement of Sakinala Shankar and Manoj Yadav. Subsequent raids led to the arrest of Yadav from Sant Kabir Nagar, followed by Sandeep Singh from Banaras, who managed account operations in Lucknow, police said.
Further surveillance resulted in the arrest of Aditya Pratap Singh from Kota in Rajasthan. Singh allegedly arranged mule accounts across India and shared their access with foreign handlers through social media.
The cheated funds were then layered through multiple Indian bank accounts, including those operated by Sompal and Rahul, to obscure the money trail before being supplied to handlers abroad, said the officer.
Sompal, an MBA graduate who earlier ran a software company, allegedly provided his corporate account for bulk transactions after his business became non-operational.
Police said 51 cybercrime complaints were linked to his account alone, while a total of 63 complaints were found connected to the network.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Only conditional permission given for cricket matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium: Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday said permission to host cricket matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been granted only on a conditional basis, subject to strict compliance with prescribed safety norms.
Speaking to reporters here, Parameshwara said a high-level committee was constituted based on the recommendations of the Justice John Michael Cunha Committee to examine the situation at the stadium.
"The committee conducted a detailed inspection and submitted its report. Based on that report, permission has been granted to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to organise matches," he said.
Parameshwara said several specific conditions had been imposed on the KSCA.
"All modifications and corrective measures recommended by the committee must be completed within the stipulated timeframe. The KSCA has already begun the work and has given a written assurance that all required changes will be carried out," he said.
Reiterating that the approval was conditional, he added that the stadium would be inspected again before any match is held.
Parameshwara said a committee headed by Greater Bengaluru Authority Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao was also formed to assess the overall condition of the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and its report had been taken into account.
He said the matter was discussed in detail in the Cabinet.
"Decisions have been taken on the steps to be implemented in the short term and the long term. Since IPL matches are scheduled to be held in March, all short-term conditions must be fulfilled before that. Permission has been granted subject to these conditions," he said.
The minister said the government had placed trust in the assurances given by the KSCA.
"We will conduct another inspection to verify whether all the conditions have been fully complied with," he added.
Cricket matches at the stadium were suspended after a stampede during Royal Challengers Bangalore’s IPL title celebrations last June claimed 13 lives.
