Muzaffarnagar police arrested Vishal Godara, a 22-year-old LLB student from Noida, for allegedly siphoning Rs 2 lakh from a resident’s bank account using a malicious mobile link. The victim, Tausif Ahmed, reported that his phone was hacked, and money was withdrawn from his account. The stolen amount was later fully recovered.
Police revealed that Godara, originally from Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, hacked Ahmed’s phone and withdrew money via ATMs. CCTV footage confirmed his involvement. During a search, authorities seized a laptop, three phones, 20 ATM cards, seven passbooks, six cheque books, and multiple SIM cards, exposing a well-organised cyber fraud network.
Investigators suspect links to Chinese cyber syndicates and are tracing Godara’s associates both interstate and internationally. Ahmed stated that he and his friends were blackmailed using personal photos and videos. Some stolen funds were routed through friends’ accounts, totaling Rs 2 lakh.
A case under multiple sections, including 308 (extortion) of the BNS, was filed. Godara admitted to operating several accounts in the cyber fraud network, buying dummy bank accounts for Rs 8,000–10,000, withdrawing fraudulent funds, and converting them into cryptocurrency via social media channels. He claimed some wallets were linked to individuals in China.
Police said Godara, a second-year law student, had been engaged in these illegal activities for nearly a year, highlighting the sophistication and cross-border nature of the operation.
