In a significant breakthrough, Solan police have arrested Vinay Paliwal (26), Rahul Taylor (26), and Lokesh Khatik (33), all residents of Udaipur in Rajasthan, in connection with a Rs 18.65 lakh fraud linked to a money laundering operation. The trio was apprehended on December 13 after the Solan police secured their transit remand from Udaipur. They were produced in court the following evening, as confirmed by Solan SP Gaurav Singh.
The incident dates back to October 8, when a Mumbai resident, currently residing in Sector 3, Parwanoo, lodged a complaint with the Parwanoo police. The victim reported receiving a call from a person claiming to be Ajit Rao from DHL courier service, who informed the complainant that his Aadhaar card had been used to send a parcel to China, allegedly containing illegal drugs and suspicious items. Rao claimed the parcel was in the custody of the Customs Department.
The scam escalated when Rao transferred the call to Vinay Kumar, who impersonated a CBI officer. Kumar further claimed that the complainant’s Aadhaar card had been misused in a money laundering case involving Rs 538 crore and linked to a Canara Bank manager. Kumar demanded money to further investigate the case.
Under pressure and fearing legal consequences, the victim transferred Rs 18.65 lakh in installments to Kumar’s bank account and sent him receipts for the payments. For nearly two weeks, the victim was kept under constant surveillance via WhatsApp video calls, where he was instructed to provide details about his daily activities.
On October 16, the fraudsters claimed the case was resolved, promising to return the victim’s money after taking a 10% commission. However, when the complainant attempted to contact them later, he realized he had been scammed.
A case was registered at the Parwanoo police station under Section 319(2) of the BNS. After a thorough investigation, supported by technical and cyber cell support, the Solan police traced and arrested the three accused from Udaipur. The trio has been remanded to four days of police custody.
Further investigation revealed that the fraud network had been operating in Rajasthan and Gujarat for an extended period, specifically targeting victims from Himachal Pradesh and other states. The accused used benami bank accounts to deposit the stolen money, and it was revealed that around Rs 40 lakh had been transferred into these accounts.
Additionally, investigators have uncovered that the kingpin of the network is suspected of laundering up to Rs 3 crore through cryptocurrency exchanges. The investigation is ongoing, and it is believed the total amount defrauded could increase as further details are uncovered.
This case underscores the growing sophistication of online scams, where fraudsters exploit victim trust by impersonating law enforcement officers and manipulating vulnerable individuals. The police have urged citizens to remain cautious and report any suspicious communications, especially those involving financial transactions or demands for money from unknown sources.
