Pimpri Chinchwad Cyber Police have made significant strides in dismantling an international cybercrime syndicate, arresting three individuals involved in a large-scale fraud involving fake bank accounts. The investigation, initiated under Case No. 1/2024, was launched after a complaint was registered at the Pimpri Chinchwad Cyber Police Station, charging the suspects with fraud under sections 318(4), 319(2), and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.
The Commissioner of Police, Vinaykumar Choubey, ordered a thorough investigation, which was led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Sandeep Doiphode, and Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dr. Vishal Hire. Cyber Police Inspector Ravikiran Nale is overseeing the inquiry.
During the investigation, officers traced one fraudulent bank account to a delivery company employee in Wagholi, who had opened the account under instructions from the suspects. The employee revealed that Avinash Baklikar and Satish More were behind the operation, prompting further investigation. Police traced Baklikar’s location to Lonavala, and after combing through over 1,000 villas in the area, the suspects were found using fake Aadhaar cards and aliases to stay in hotels and villas.
The arrested individuals are:
- Avinash Dnyanoba Baklikar
- Satish Bhagwan, Satish Bhagwan
Police seized 12 mobile phones, a laptop, 9 bank account kits, debit cards, Aadhaar and PAN cards, and cash from the suspects. Preliminary interrogations revealed that Baklikar facilitated the creation of fake bank accounts through associates in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Pune, which were then supplied to cybercriminals in Nepal and China, operating as part of a global cybercrime syndicate.
Further analysis of Baklikar’s mobile phone revealed details of 55 accounts, with over 150 complaints linked to these accounts. Baklikar allegedly charged Rs 2-3 lakh per account kit provided to the criminals. Payments were routed through the Binance cryptocurrency platform, where he received payments in USDT (Tether).
The investigation has unveiled connections to cybercriminals based in Nepal and China, where Baklikar allegedly coordinated activities using alias identities to shield his true identity. Investigators discovered that Baklikar had been sending account kits to cybercriminals in Nepal, including Kathmandu, indicating the international scope of the fraud network.
Sheikh was dispatched from Ghaziabad to Maharashtra to supervise account transactions and stay in contact with the cybercriminals, while More handled finances and transactions related to Baklikar’s operations. The fraudulent accounts were used to facilitate a range of cybercrimes, and further investigations are underway to determine the extent of each suspect’s involvement.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to uncover more details about the network’s operations. Additional suspects and bank accounts involved in the fraud are being investigated, with further raids and inquiries expected in the coming weeks.
