Cybercrime investigators have arrested Mahendra Meghwal, a resident of Pune, Maharashtra, for allegedly operating fake bank accounts used by cybercriminals to funnel money from unsuspecting victims. The arrest was made on Sunday following an extensive investigation.
According to authorities, Meghwal specialized in creating and managing fraudulent bank accounts, which he sold to various scam networks. His arrest followed a complaint filed by a victim who was extorted out of Rs23 lakh after being threatened by cyber fraudsters.
The victim initially received a call claiming his Aadhaar card was linked to a money laundering case and that the Delhi Cybercrime Cell would be in touch. A second call came from another fraudster, who said that Rs1 lakh had been received in the victim’s name and accused him of being part of a laundering racket. Under mounting pressure, including threats of arrest over a video call, the victim was forced to share personal bank and investment details before the scammers drained Rs23 lakh from his accounts.
The trail of transactions led police to Meghwal, who had set up the fake bank accounts. Cybercrime inspector BN Patel stated that Meghwal, despite only studying up to Class 8, had developed a detailed knowledge of banking loopholes. He used identity documents from locals and rented properties to create fake rental agreements—both of which were used to open multiple bank accounts.
“Some of the accounts were operated by Meghwal himself to withdraw the stolen money, while others were handed over to cybercrime gangs,” Patel added. Investigators also recovered several property rental agreements from Meghwal’s possession. He was allegedly planning to rent more commercial spaces in the city to further expand the operation.
Police have contacted shop owners linked to these rental agreements to alert them to the scam. Meghwal’s Aadhaar card, which lists a Vadodara address, is also under verification.
The investigation continues, with authorities working to uncover the full extent of the fraud ring.
