in a significant breakthrough, the Dahisar police have arrested Varunkumar Tiwari (24) and Sachin Mishra (32) in connection with a major online scam that targeted a 35-year-old woman. The duo allegedly posed as officials from the Lucknow Crime Branch and convinced the woman to transfer Rs 89,000 to a bank account to avoid being arrested.
The victim, a resident of Mumbai, received a call on November 28 from fraudsters pretending to be officers from the Lucknow Crime Branch. The scammers claimed that her SIM card had been used in a cheating case and threatened her with arrest unless she paid a certain amount. Under intense pressure, the woman was instructed to transfer Rs 89,000 to a designated bank account to prevent her arrest.
After transferring the money, the woman soon realized that she had been duped and reported the incident to the Dahisar police. The police then contacted the bank, which froze the accused’s account.
During the investigation, the police traced the money to Varunkumar Tiwari and Sachin Mishra, both Mira Road residents, who were identified as the masterminds behind the scam. The accused were arrested, and it was revealed that they had opened 10 bank accounts in the names of various individuals, which they used to launder the illegally obtained funds.
Upon further investigation, police discovered that two of the bank accounts operated by Tiwari and Mishra were linked to a staggering 63 cyber fraud offences across India. These offences spanned multiple states, including Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
The arrested duo and their associates were found to have opened several bank accounts, using fake names and documents, to facilitate the scam. In addition, they were operating multiple mobile numbers, email IDs, and UPI IDs to carry out the fraudulent activities. The extent of their operations highlights the growing menace of cyber fraud in India.
The Dahisar police have urged the public to be cautious of such imposter calls and to avoid sharing personal information or transferring money in response to unsolicited threats of arrest or legal action. The authorities have emphasized that law enforcement agencies, such as the Crime Branch, will never demand money from individuals to settle legal issues.
The investigation is ongoing, and police are working to identify any additional victims of the scam.