n a significant breakthrough, the Agra Police’s Cyber Crime Wing has arrested four individuals involved in a massive digital fraud operation, with Sohel Akram, a BTech Computer Science graduate and university topper from Chennai, identified as the mastermind behind the scheme.
The cybercrime gang, operating across Delhi and Gurugram, used fraudulent documents to open multiple bank accounts and obtain SIM cards under fake identities. These resources were then used to intimidate victims by falsely claiming their involvement in nonexistent criminal cases such as money laundering and drug trafficking. One of the victims, Naeem Beg, a retired railway inspector, lost Rs15 lakh after being “digitally arrested” by people posing as law enforcement officials.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Suraj Rai, the gang is suspected of swindling approximately Rs4 crore over the past four months. The money was quickly withdrawn from the fake accounts, which were then closed to erase any traces of the fraud. Police investigations have revealed that the gang was able to withdraw over Rs2.7 crore from six linked bank accounts in just 24 hours.
The accused, during their interrogations, provided details of the well-organized structure of their operation. Each gang member had a specific role, ranging from opening fraudulent bank accounts and withdrawing money to creating fake documents to facilitate the crimes. The investigation also uncovered that the gang recruited individuals from underprivileged backgrounds, offering them financial incentives to use their identities for the fraudulent activities.
The arrests were made at a factory in Sikandra, Agra, where the accused, Mohd Raja Rafiq, Mohd Danish, Mohd Qadir, and Sohel Akram, were apprehended. Police are now probing their assets and bank accounts to uncover the full scope of their operations and any additional individuals involved in the network.
This arrest marks a significant success for the Agra Police Cyber Crime Wing, who are committed to tracking down and dismantling cybercriminal networks exploiting technology for fraudulent purposes.