On Sunday, Nawada Police arrested 11 cybercriminals involved in a fraudulent loan racket, dismantling a gang that had been targeting unsuspecting victims across the region. The accused were allegedly offering fake loans under the guise of ‘Dhani Finance,’ a company affiliated with India Bulls Private Ltd.
The police investigation, led by Priya Jyoti, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) for the cyber cell, uncovered that the criminals had been acquiring personal data, including phone numbers and addresses, through the popular e-commerce platform Meesho. This data was then used to deceive victims into taking out non-existent loans.
“We received multiple complaints from victims who registered their grievances on our web portal, Prativimb. They provided the phone numbers used by the fraudsters, which we then traced,” said DSP Priya Jyoti.
The police team placed the identified phone numbers under surveillance, eventually tracking the suspects’ location. A raid was conducted on Saturday evening in a park located in the Warsaliganj block of Nawada, where around 15 individuals had gathered. Upon noticing the police approaching, the suspects attempted to flee, but the officers managed to apprehend 11 of them after a brief chase.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Raja Ram Kumar (25), the alleged mastermind of the gang, along with Avinash Kumar (30), Pappu Saw (46), Bhaskar Kumar (25), Santosh Kumar (23), Ajay Kumar (29), Lakhan Kumar (34), Krishna Kumar (20), Dharmendra Kumar (19), Sidhartha Shankar (32), and Bittu Kumar (23).
During the operation, the police seized significant evidence, including 168 pages of leaked data, 34 mobile phones, 13 SIM cards, one laptop, and a bike. The accused have been booked under the relevant sections of B.N.S., and further investigations are underway.
The police continue to warn the public about the increasing number of cyber frauds, especially involving fake loan schemes. Authorities urge anyone who has been a victim of similar scams to come forward and report the incident immediately.