The Pimpri-Chinchwad police’s cyber cell has arrested two individuals in connection with a Rs2.52 crore share market fraud involving a senior citizen. The accused allegedly provided mule bank accounts to fraudsters operating from Pakistan and Dubai. The arrests were made on April 17 after the investigation traced fraudulent transactions linked to the scam.
The case came to light on March 24, when a senior citizen, who had retired from the state irrigation department, reported a loss of Rs2.52 crore after being duped in an investment scam. The victim had been approached by a person on social media, who promised high returns on investments. The fraudster later became a police witness, assisting in the investigation after the senior citizen realized he had been swindled.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police first arrested Balasaheb Sakharam Chaure, from Kaij in Beed district, as part of the probe. The police found that Chaure had provided his bank account to a man named Yunus Dilawar Chaughule, who runs a mobile shop in Sangli. Yunus, in turn, had agreed to give his bank accounts to fraudsters from Pakistan and Dubai in exchange for a 6% commission on every transaction.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Amol Patil from Sangli had also provided his bank account to the accused for fraudulent purposes. Patil and Chaughule were arrested after the investigation uncovered the illegal use of these bank accounts to funnel money from cyber scams. Yunus Dilawar had reportedly handed over 8 to 10 bank accounts to a man from Madhya Pradesh, receiving Rs2 to Rs2.5 lakh in commission for each one.
Further investigation linked Chaure to a cybercrime gang operated by a Pakistani national and Ganesh Kale, a suspect from Dubai. The police learned that Chaure had opened 15 to 20 mule accounts in the Marathwada region, using the official documents of uneducated individuals, labourers, and drivers. These accounts were then handed over to the cybercriminals for use in illegal transactions. Chaure received Rs2.5 lakh in commission for his involvement.
According to Pravin Swami, assistant police inspector at the Pimpri-Chinchwad cyber cell, Chaure’s role in the scam involved assisting international cybercriminals by providing mule accounts from the Marathwada region. The investigation also revealed that Chaure had been in contact with various cyber gangs operating from Dubai, Nepal, and other countries.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police are continuing their search for the Madhya Pradesh-based suspect, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the scam. Meanwhile, the two arrested individuals have been sent to police custody as the investigation into the international fraud network continues.
