Ahmedabad police arrested Indra Kumar Sahani (36) and Rahim Khan (24) for orchestrating a sophisticated cyber fraud that duped a retired Army colonel of Rs 41.45 lakh. The duo operated from Ahmedabad, utilizing mule bank accounts, SIM cards, and cryptocurrency to transfer the stolen funds abroad.
The victim, a retired colonel residing in Vasant Kunj, approached authorities after realizing he had been scammed. Lured through social media, he was convinced to invest in a fake online trading platform promising high returns on digital gold traded in US dollars.
Initially, the fake account showed rapid gains, encouraging the victim to deposit Rs 41.45 lakh, believing his profits had grown to Rs 1 crore. However, when attempting withdrawal, the platform demanded an additional Rs 31.5 lakh in “taxes” before releasing the funds, raising suspicion of fraud.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest), Surendra Choudhary, revealed that Rahim Khan coordinated with Chinese handlers via a messaging app and managed a network of account holders across India. These operatives were brought to hotels in Ahmedabad where Khan ran the fraudulent operations.
Khan installed specific applications on mobile devices linked to SIM cards registered with mule accounts, granting foreign scammers remote access to conduct fund transfers. The illicit proceeds were converted into USDT cryptocurrency and moved overseas, evading Indian law enforcement.
Following a raid in Ahmedabad, Sahani was arrested, and police seized three smartphones with incriminating evidence. Khan was arrested later, with two additional phones confiscated. Sahani initially opened one bank account but later managed nine current accounts, selling access to these for commission.
Authorities believe this bust exposes a larger cyber fraud network with transnational connections. Investigations are ongoing to uncover more victims and collaborators.
