Lucknow Police have arrested three individuals allegedly part of a massive Rs100 crore cyber fraud operation spanning across seven Indian states. The gang, responsible for at least 67 scams, used fake identities and legal documents to dupe unsuspecting victims—primarily senior citizens—by posing as officials from investigative agencies.
Those arrested include Mohammed Zaid, a law student, Chitransh Kunwar, a medical equipment trader from Indiranagar, and Mohan Kumar Rawat from Sugamau. The trio was nabbed in connection with a recent scam in which a 73-year-old woman in Lucknow was cheated out of Rs56 lakh.
According to Additional DCP Cyber Cell Rallapalli Vasanth Kumar, the gang operated under the direction of a kingpin, Sameer Ansari alias Munna Bhaiya, who remains at large.
The operation unraveled when Rita Bhasin, a resident of IT Colony, filed a complaint on July 18. She reported receiving a call from someone claiming to be a CBI officer, accusing her of links to a money laundering case tied to her Aadhaar and mobile number. The caller warned of imminent arrest, prompting anxiety and compliance.
In a further intimidation tactic, the gang conducted a WhatsApp video call where one fraudster appeared in a police uniform and presented forged court documents, including a fake arrest warrant. The victim was pressured into isolating herself and keeping her phone camera on, while she was coerced into transferring nearly all her funds to a so-called “Supreme Court bank account.”
Investigators revealed that the gang used a numberless SUV to collect money while avoiding surveillance, and maintained internal communications through a private group chat. The probe has already linked them to scams in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh.
Police continue to trace the remaining members, especially the absconding mastermind Sameer Ansari. More arrests are expected as digital forensic teams analyze seized devices and chat records.
