In a dramatic breakthrough, Chandaka Police in Bhubaneswar have arrested Sameer Kumar Bubhe, a 35-year-old cybercriminal from Bihar, along with four local accomplices, for orchestrating a Rs20 crore online fraud.
The arrests stemmed from an unexpected kidnapping complaint filed by the mastermind himself, which inadvertently led to the exposure of the massive scam.
Bubhe, hailing from Nalanda, Bihar, is believed to be the ringleader of the fraud operation. He collaborated with four residents of Bhubaneswar—Bhagaban Sahu (21), Chiranjib Raut (21), Amritarani Raut (50), and Akanksha Raut (21)—all members of the same family. The gang used mule bank accounts opened by the family to channel illicit funds.
According to investigators, the operation began in February 2025 when the local group met Bubhe in Prayagraj. Under his direction, they opened multiple bank accounts to transfer stolen money. In return, the family members received commissions for each transaction.
Since May 2025, over Rs20 crore was routed through these accounts, eventually drawing the attention of bank authorities, who issued warnings.
Things took a shocking turn when the Chandaka-based group allegedly kidnapped Bubhe, luring him to Bhubaneswar under the pretext of opening more accounts. Once he arrived, he was held hostage and threatened with a knife for a Rs25 lakh ransom.
After two days in captivity, Bubhe managed to convince the group to let him visit a hotel, where he filed a police complaint.
The case was taken over by Officer Samita Mishra, who soon discovered Bubhe’s role in the cyber fraud ring. Upon interrogating the remaining four suspects, police uncovered the entire scheme. All five have been produced in court, and police are seeking remand to investigate potential links to a wider cybercrime network.
According to Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena, this bust is part of a growing effort to combat digital financial crimes, which have been on the rise in the region.
