Delhi Police busts Rs 300 crore international cyber fraud syndicate, arrests mastermind
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has busted a major international cyber fraud syndicate -- linked with over 2,000 complaints and scams worth over Rs 300 crore -- with the arrest of its alleged mastermind and 10 others, an official said on Sunday.
During the investigation, police uncovered a well-organised network operating across multiple states with links to international cyber fraud syndicates, particularly in Cambodia.
"We have so far identified over 260 bank accounts linked to more than 100 fictitious companies used to channel the proceeds of crime. The total number of complaints linked to the syndicate stands at 2,567," police said.
The key accused, Karan Kajaria, was apprehended at Kolkata airport on April 3 after a Look Out Circular was issued against him. He was brought to Delhi a day later for further investigation, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Aditya Gautam said.
The case came to light following a complaint by a city resident, Sultan, who alleged that he was duped of Rs 31.45 lakh after being lured into an investment scheme.
Police said the victim was persuaded to download a fake trading application and invest money with promises of high returns. However, when he attempted to withdraw the profits, the application stopped functioning, and the group became inaccessible.
"An FIR was registered at the cyber police station in northeast and later transferred to the crime branch for a detailed probe," the officer said.
The syndicate created fake investment platforms and messaging groups to lure victims. They used mule bank accounts arranged through intermediaries and deployed malicious applications to capture sensitive banking details, including OTPs. Funds collected from victims were routed through a complex web of bank accounts and shell companies to conceal the trail, police said.
"Kajaria, who is believed to be the main coordinator, maintained direct links with foreign-based operators and facilitated the movement of funds through cryptocurrency channels,' the DCP said.
He acted as a bridge between Indian operatives and international cyber criminals. He was also involved in procuring mule bank accounts and sharing sensitive banking details via encrypted social media platforms, the DCP added.
Police said Kajaria frequently travelled abroad to establish and strengthen links with overseas fraud networks and had attempted to evade arrest by staying outside India.
Technical surveillance helped investigators trace the network to Kolkata, where several bank accounts and shell entities were found to be operating. Upon his arrival in India, Kajaria was intercepted at the airport and taken into custody.
During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to his involvement in the syndicate, police said, adding that accounts linked to his network were associated with more than 2,500 complaints registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal and fraud of Rs 300 crore, the DCP said.
The investigation revealed that the syndicate had been active for the past four to five years and operated on a large scale across multiple states.
During the crackdown, police recovered 48 mobile phones, 258 SIM cards, multiple ATM cards and cheque books, four laptops, and several banking and KYC documents. Funds amounting to Rs 19 lakh have also been frozen. A total of 11 accused have been arrested in the case so far, police said, adding that further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate.
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Among developing states, TN leads with growth of 11.19 per cent, no thanks to BJP: Udhayanidhi
Thanjavur/Pudukottai (PTI): Tamil Nadu currently stands as the number one state among India’s developing regions, boasting a significant growth rate of 11.19 per cent, despite a stark lack of support from the BJP-led union government, Deputy Chief Minister Udhyanidhi Stalin said on Sunday.
"The central administration has failed to provide requested projects or the funds rightfully due to the state. This neglect reached a peak in the last Union Budget, where the name "Tamil Nadu" was entirely absent, with no new projects allocated to the region," Udhayanidhi told the gathered crowd at Peravurani in Thanjavur.
He also accused the central government of "attempting to undermine" the state's cultural identity by re-imposing a 'Three-Language Policy' and pushing Hindi and Sanskrit into the territory.
"While these threats loom, the opposition leader, Edappadi Palaniswami, remains silent. Instead of questioning these injustices, he has formed an alliance with the BJP, effectively facilitating the entry of these policies into Tamil Nadu," the Deputy Chief Minister added.
According to him, the upcoming assembly election presents a critical opportunity for the people to respond to this continuous neglect.
"It is time for the voters to decide whether to support the Tamil Nadu team or a Delhi team that ignores the state’s developmental needs and linguistic heritage," he added.
Earlier, speaking at Viralimalai in Pudukottai, he argued that this election "is a war between the Delhi Team and the Tamil Nadu Team".
"We are the Tamil Nadu Team...we must send Delhi Team back to where they came from with a decisive win," he said.
He urged the electorate to break the "remote control" Delhi uses to try and control Tamil Nadu.
Udhayanidhi attacked the opposition, specifically targeting incumbent MLA and AIADMK candidate C Vijayabaskar by calling him a "drama company actor", who is part of a "slave group" being threatened by the CBI and ED.
The deputy CM listed the infrastructure and welfare achievements of the "Dravidian Model" government, specifically mentioning quality road works worth Rs 25 crore for 30 km and drinking water connections worth Rs 17 crore in the region.
He also claimed that the DMK revived the laptop scheme for college students after the AIADMK abandoned it in 2019.
Looking toward a second term, he promised that the government would increase the women's entitlement amount to Rs 2,000 and build Rs 10 lakh houses under the 'Kalaignar Kanavu Illam' initiative for those without homes.
Invoking his political lineage, he told the local cadre to set a high target, noting that while the party lost the seat by a narrow margin previously, this time DMK must win by a margin of "50,000 votes to drive away the slave group".
