Surat Cyber Cell has busted a sophisticated cyber-fraud network masterminded by Nitesh Govani, a B.Sc. Mathematics graduate and CFO at a Pune-based firm. Govani allegedly defrauded over 1,200 individuals, siphoning nearly Rs9 crore through shell companies and fake digital contracts.
Despite earning a monthly salary of Rs65,000 and holding a 20% stake in his firm, Govani reportedly pursued large-scale fraud. Investigators noted he had been previously arrested in Ahmedabad in 2021 for a similar data-entry scam, which allegedly helped him refine his methods.
To make the scheme appear legitimate, Govani acquired a struggling Surat-based company, Global Index, created a paper-only Dubai entity, Connecting All India, and launched White Solver to target jobseekers. Victims were coerced into signing digital contracts, which he later used to threaten legal action and extort money.
Govani maintained the appearance of legality by filing GST returns, paying taxes, and structuring operations to seem compliant. He even sold Global Index on paper while secretly retaining control.
The cyber-fraud unraveled when the Surat Cyber Cell detected suspicious call-center activity and traced multiple operations back to Govani. Authorities warn this case underscores a rising trend of white-collar criminals designing scams that mimic legitimate businesses.
