In a major crackdown on cyber fraud, the Belpahar Police arrested seven individuals linked to an inter-state syndicate laundering fraud proceeds through mule bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets. Fraudulent transactions in these cases have crossed Rs14 crore.
Names and Background of Accused
In the first case, six individuals were arrested:
Himanshu Kumar Shrivastav (33) – Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh (mastermind)
Paramananda Das (38) – Nuapada (Brajrajnagar), Odisha
Stifan Bastaraya (37) – Belpahar, Odisha
Tanoj Pradhan (40) – Lamtibahal, Odisha
Kedar Pradhan (40) – Pudapali, Odisha
Bhima Munda (30) – IB Jamera, Jharsuguda, Odisha
In a separate case, Ishwar Daruan (24), an employee of a small finance bank in Jharsuguda, was arrested for allegedly opening fraudulent accounts in villages to facilitate money laundering.
Evidence Seized
Police recovered:
Laptop and eight mobile handsets (including crypto apps)
International SIM cards (Sri Lanka, Thailand) and domestic SIMs
Ten debit cards, eight bank passbooks, and cheque books linked to multiple enterprises
Indian passport, PAN and Aadhaar cards
Visiting cards and other financial documents
SP Jharsuguda G.R. Raghavendra explained that the accused used mule bank accounts and crypto wallets to conceal the source and destination of funds, enabling both national and transnational cyber fraud schemes.
