Pune: Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Busts Inter-State Gang Involved In Rs 200 Crore Online Fraud, 14 Accused Arrested
Chinchwad, 18th December 2023: The officials from Crime Branch Unit Four of Pimpri-Chinchwad Police have successfully dismantled an inter-state gang involved in duping citizens through various online tasks, such as fake online reviews and ratings. The operation has revealed a shocking 17 crimes and exposed 95 fraudulent bank accounts, leading to the discovery of a massive Rs 200 crore fraudulent transaction. Fourteen individuals involved in the racket have been arrested by the police.
The arrested individuals include Chintan Shashikant Phadke from Indore, Brajraj Ramratan Vaishnav from Bhilwara, and Mohammad Rashid Chand Mohammad from Ajmer, among others.
The intricate nature of this crime, involving technical expertise, prompted officers of Crime Branch Unit-4 to conduct a thorough investigation. Two teams were deployed across multiple states, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Bihar, resulting in the successful arrests.
The modus operandi employed by the accused unfolded in three levels. Initially, the perpetrators identified financially vulnerable individuals and created accounts and firms in their names across different private banks. Subsequently, they got associated kits, including chequebooks and internet banking details. In the final stage, the fraudsters enticed victims with online tasks, communicated through WhatsApp and Telegram, and transferred funds from the victims to the initially created accounts.
The accused executed their fraudulent activities with meticulous planning, traveling to various major cities under the guise of job opportunities. They used local names and rented individuals, obtained Shop Act licence, Enterprise/MSME certificates online, and opened current accounts in different private banks under the firm’s name, adding an additional layer of complexity to their scheme.
Senior Police Inspector Shankar Awatade led the operation, with the support of Assistant Police Inspector Ambarish Deshmukh, Assistant Police Inspector Siddhanath Babar, and a dedicated team of officers and constables from the Cyber Cell. A total of 17 cases of financial fraud have been disclosed so far, and efforts are underway to freeze all accounts and trace the money trail for refund to the victims.
