Hyderabad Cybercrime crackdown on cyber fraud cases nationwide
The extensive operations launched across the country by Hyderabad cybercrime sleuths have led to the arrest of 23 persons operating financial fraud networks. The fraudsters, based in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, were involved in 30 cases in Telangana and 359 cases across India. Overall, they managed to swindle Rs 5.2 crore.
Speaking about the crackdown, Hyderabad cybercrime DCP Dara Kavitha said, “The operations were carried out by five of our teams. The total amount lost by victims in these cases was to the tune of Rs 5,29,98,006. We also seized cash, mobile phones, SIM cards, bank passbooks, and other financial instruments. Additionally, the police were able to refund Rs 39 lakh to victims across three different cases this week.”
In a case registered in December, a 70-year-old victim approached the sleuths stating that Rs 1.90 crore was withdrawn from his bank account without his knowledge. We arrested one Kamlesh Kumari, a former BJP legislator from Uttar Pradesh, who covers up her criminal activities under the guise of a spiritual NGO that she runs. A cyber fraudster approached her and offered commission for committing frauds. In fact, she was given Rs 35 lakh.”
As regards cases in Telangana, she said, “One victim, who is a resident of Avanthi nagar, approached us when he got messages of deductions from his account. We lodged a case and managed to freeze his entire amount. One of the banks in which he has an account refunded Rs 25 lakh.”
In a different case, a digitally arrested victim ended up transferring Rs 34 lakh. Police arrested Baria Sanjeev Kumar and Kali Rohitkumar Chhatrsinh Kalmi in Gujarat, who had cheated the victim.
In Bengaluru, the sleuths apprehended Sameer Hundekar and Deepak Sampath, who worked on a commission basis for the prime accused Ritesh Soni operating from Dubai. The scam came to light when an online trading racket victim approached them. Trusting the genuineness of a YouTube ad of ‘Marval Capita’ he invested Rs 2.9 crore only to later realise that he was conned.
There are several such cases that are in the process of detection with their teams camping in other states as part of their investigation, the DCP said. Meanwhile, Kavitha advised people to be cautious about communications from unknown individuals on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram.