The Cyber Centre of Excellence under the Gujarat CID Crime has uncovered a major interstate cyber fraud network involving transactions worth more than Rs39.41 crore. Two alleged key operatives from Ahmedabad have been arrested in connection with the case.
The operation was carried out by a special investigation team formed under the supervision of Superintendents of Police Dr. Rajdeep Singh Jhala, Sanjay Keshwala, and Vivek Bheda. Using a combination of technical surveillance and human intelligence, investigators were able to track and apprehend the suspects.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Amit Mahendrabhai Gangera (38), who works as a hair salon manager and resides in Vinzol, Ahmedabad, and Ritesh Kumar Bhogilal Patel (42), a stationery trader from the same area.
According to investigators, the accused allegedly worked on a commission basis by sourcing bank accounts from financially struggling traders. These accounts were then rented out to cybercriminals to launder money generated through online fraud schemes.
A preliminary examination of the suspects’ mobile phones reportedly uncovered details linked to 11 additional bank accounts. Further verification through the national cybercrime portal revealed that these accounts were connected to at least 59 cybercrime complaints filed across several states, with the total fraud amount reaching Rs39.41 crore.
State-wise data shows that Maharashtra reported the highest number of complaints with 13 cases, followed by Karnataka with 10. Haryana recorded five cases, while Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh each reported four complaints. Gujarat, Kerala, and Telangana had three cases each. Two complaints each were registered in Andhra Pradesh, Ladakh, and Odisha, while Jharkhand, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal reported one case each.
Police officials said the fraud network used multiple methods to deceive victims, including so-called “digital arrest” scams, investment fraud, UPI-related scams, online trading fraud, and fake part-time job schemes.
During the operation, authorities seized three mobile phones and Rs5 lakh in cash.
Officials confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and indicated that more arrests are likely as the probe expands to identify other members of the cyber fraud network.
