Police nabs key figure behind fraud network
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police’s Cyber Cell has arrested one of the key masterminds involved in a nationwide online fraud syndicate, who allegedly handled bank accounts for illicit funds.
The police were informed about the fraud through a complaint registered at the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
The accused has been identified as Vikram Purohit, son of Bhanwar Lal Purohit, a resident of Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
According to the police, the case came to light on February 21, when a complaint was lodged on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). The complainant, a victim of the fraud, revealed that she had been duped out of Rs 18,00,000.
She had joined a WhatsApp group that falsely claimed to provide stock market investment advice. Believing the fraudsters, she invested a significant amount in what she thought were stock market opportunities.
When she attempted to withdraw her earnings, she was unable to do so and was further pressured to invest more, leading her to realise that she had been scammed.
The Cyber Crime team, under the supervision of ACP Operations Devender Kumar and SHO Cyber Inspector Vikas Kumar Buldak, launched an extensive investigation. The team traced the money trail and technical leads, revealing that the cheated funds were spread across multiple bank accounts. Out of the Rs 18,00,000, Rs 4,00,000 was traced to accounts linked to two of the arrested fraudsters, Deepu P. and Mohamad Ali, both from Bangalore.
As the investigation progressed, more connections were uncovered, including the arrest of Chetan Naidu in Mumbai. Naidu was responsible for sourcing bank accounts used in the fraud and providing them to Purohit, who then supplied them to the network through Telegram. The police discovered that Naidu had been previously arrested in a cyber fraud case and had long been involved in the syndicate.
The accused Vikram Purohit was apprehended at Mumbai airport after a Look Out Circular was issued to prevent his escape. This arrest marks the fourth in an ongoing investigation, which has already seen three others, including Chetan Naidu, apprehended in connection with the case.
The accused was found to be part of a larger cybercrime network that operates through platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp, using fake identities to create fraudulent accounts.
Purohit served as a key middleman, coordinating with fraudsters nationwide and internationally. He managed bank accounts used to scam victims. During his arrest, police seized three mobile phones, five SIM cards, and five ATM cards. His arrest is considered a significant breakthrough, linking 40 complaints from various states to
the fraud network.
The investigation also uncovered Rs 3.27 crore in bank accounts and revealed the use of cryptocurrency for transferring stolen funds. Authorities are continuing to investigate to locate other syndicate members and recover more stolen money.
