Pune: Multi-State Cyber Fraud Ring Busted; Three Arrested for Laundering Cryptocurrency Through Domestic Worker’s Bank Account
Pimpri-Chinchwad, 27th November 2025: In a major breakthrough, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Cyber Police have cracked a sophisticated cyber fraud network, arresting three key suspects involved in laundering money via cryptocurrency using a bank account registered in the name of a domestic worker. The arrests were carried out across Sangli, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad following an extensive multi-state investigation.
The case came to light when a victim reported losing Rs 2.10 crore in an online trading scam orchestrated through a Telegram group called “85 SC India Stock Circle.” The group’s administrators, operating under aliases such as Lata Gupta (@GGPPLU2), @HINOCOCJB, @FUHJFIVJDY, and Shirish Apte (@HUJKIS5), allegedly lured investors with promises of high returns and circulated fraudulent trading links.
Tracing the Money Trail
Investigators found that Rs 78 lakh from the victim’s account had been deposited into a Saraswat Bank account under the name of Poonam Rafiq Shiklagar of Sangli. PSI Vaibhav Patil’s team discovered that Shiklagar had handed the account to her friend, Mohammad Said Mohammad Patel, who subsequently passed it to a man identified as Sammer Gupta for ₹12 lakh in cash.
Further tracking revealed that “Sammer Gupta” was frequently shifting locations and using virtual numbers. PSI Sagar Poman’s team detained him in Mumbai and identified him as Vishal Dinesh Thakkar, a Thane-based stock trader, who admitted selling the bank details to an individual known as “Fortune” in exchange for USDT cryptocurrency on Binance.
Mastermind Nabbed at Ahmedabad Airport
Technical surveillance revealed that “Fortune” was traveling from Varanasi to Ahmedabad. Cyber Police intercepted him at Ahmedabad Airport using a photo of his luggage previously shared with Thakkar. The suspect was identified as Harsh Surendrapratap Bhadoriya, a Kanpur resident, who confessed to operating multiple bank accounts to receive illicit funds from victims across India. Authorities have frozen ₹39.62 lakh linked to the scam.
Accused and Seized Items
The three arrested suspects are:
Mohammad Said Mohiyuddin Patel (25), Sangli resident
Vishal Dinesh Thakkar alias Sammer Gupta (28), Thane-based stock trader
Harsh Surendrapratap Bhadoriya alias Fortune/Punit (32), Kanpur resident
Police also seized six mobile phones used to orchestrate the fraud. Preliminary investigations suggest the gang defrauded at least 26 victims nationwide, involving crores of rupees.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of Commissioner of Police Vinay Kumar Choubey, along with Joint CP Dr. Shashikant Mahavarkar, Additional CP Sarang Avhad, DCP (Crime) Dr. Shivaji Pawar, and ACP (Crime-1) Dr. Vishal Hire. The ongoing probe is being led by Cyber Police Inspector Ravikiran Nale, while Government Prosecutor Surat Mohite ensured that the accused were remanded to police custody.
