The Crime Branch of Indore police arrested four individuals on Tuesday in connection with a Rs 1.6 crore digital fraud case, raising the total number of arrests to 11 across multiple states. The case came to light when a 59-year-old woman from Indore filed a complaint on the NCRP portal.
The woman reported that she had been contacted by fraudsters posing as officials from the CBI, RBI, and police departments via Skype and WhatsApp video calls. The scammers claimed she was involved in a money-laundering case and used fear tactics to extract her personal and banking information. Under the guise of verifying her accounts, fixed deposits, and shares, they managed to siphon Rs 1.6 crore from her bank accounts.
The investigation revealed a sprawling network of fraudsters operating in multiple states, including Gujarat, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh. Seven individuals, including suspects from Gujarat and West Bengal, were arrested in earlier phases of the investigation.
Among the newly arrested suspects are Rohan Shakya, a carpenter from Sehore who opened fraudulent bank accounts, Ayush Rathore from Sehore who facilitated account transfers, Nilesh Gorele from Bhopal who distributed the accounts to other members, and Abhishek Tripathi from Bhopal who extended the fraud network to other states.
The gang operated by recruiting individuals to open bank accounts under false pretenses. These accounts were then handed over to other gang members, enabling the fraudsters to launder money without detection. For example, Rohan Shakya’s account at the Bank of Maharashtra was passed to Ayush Rathore, then to Nilesh Gorele, and further distributed by Abhishek Tripathi to accomplices in other regions.
The Indore crime branch has intensified its investigation and formed a special team to uncover further connections. Police are interrogating the accused to gather additional information about the gang’s operations and possible links to other fraudulent activities.
