The Cybercrime Police Station in Chandigarh has arrested four key members of an interstate cyberfraud racket accused of running a high-value online scam. The arrests were made under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following an FIR registered at the Sector 17 Cyber Crime Police Station.
The operation was led by Geetanjali Khandelwal, SP (Cyber Crime), and involved coordinated raids across multiple states.
The arrested accused have been identified as:
Mubarak Ali Gafar Ali Shah (24) – Thane, Maharashtra
Ankit Surendra Jha (25) – Thane, Maharashtra
Santosh Kumar Yadav (29) – Surat, Gujarat
Dharmendra Kumar (36) – Kalyan (East), Maharashtra
The case originated from a complaint filed by a Chandigarh-based steel businessman who fell victim to a significant online fraud. During the investigation, police discovered the use of multiple mule accounts created using manipulated bank KYC data for laundering illicit funds.
Cybercrime teams, with support from local police, conducted raids in Ambarnath (West), Ulhasnagar, and Surat, leading to the arrest of all four men. Officers recovered several incriminating items, including bank passbooks, ATM cards, mobile phones, and SIM cards used in the fraud.
Investigators revealed that Mubarak Ali opened and sold second-layer bank accounts to receive stolen money. Ankit Jha worked as a middleman, supplying accounts sourced from Mubarak Ali and others. Santosh Yadav acquired bank accounts from unsuspecting individuals and also used SIM cards tied to the scam. Dharmendra Kumar bought these accounts and forwarded them to a handler responsible for ATM withdrawals of fraud proceeds.
The accused have disclosed names of additional accomplices operating from Jharkhand and Bihar, and efforts are underway to trace and arrest them. CCTV footage from relevant banks has also confirmed one suspect’s involvement. Police said further custodial interrogation is required to examine seized digital devices, follow the money trail, and identify all members of the network.
The Chandigarh Police urged the public to remain vigilant—verify official emails and websites, avoid trusting unsolicited calls offering franchises or dealerships, and refrain from transferring money without confirming the legitimacy of the sender.
