In a significant crackdown on cyber fraud, the Jalna police have apprehended the alleged mastermind behind a widespread racket that issued counterfeit learning driving licences across India through a fraudulent website.
Key Arrest in Multi-State Operation
The Jalna Local Crime Branch (LCB) and Cyber Police successfully arrested a 24-year-old man from Bihar. The accused, identified as Bittaraj Yadav, a resident of Tengaraha village in Bihar's Saharsa district, was captured following a coordinated multi-state operation. Police believe Yadav was the central figure in designing and operating a bogus website that closely imitated official state transport department portals.
Modus Operandi of the Scam
The fraudulent portal was used to illegally access government computer systems. By exploiting official procedures, the racket issued fake learning licences to applicants from multiple states in exchange for money. The case came to light on November 26, 2025, when Abhijit Bavaskar, an assistant motor vehicle inspector with the Jalna Deputy Regional Transport Office, filed a formal complaint.
Based on the complaint, the Jalna Cyber Police Station registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Information Technology Act, and the Motor Vehicles Act. Given the serious and interstate nature of the crime, a joint team from the LCB and Cyber Police was formed to track down the culprits.
Tracking Down the Accused
The investigation was led by Inspector Pankaj Jadhav of the LCB and Inspector Gunaji Shinde of the Cyber Police station, under the supervision of Additional SP Ayush Nopany. An LCB team departed from Jalna on December 23 and conducted extensive searches in Patna, Simri Bakhtiarpur, and Tengaraha in Saharsa district, Bihar.
With crucial assistance from Saharsa SP Himanshu and Cyber Police Deputy Superintendent Ajit Kumar, the team finally located and detained Bittaraj Yadav, who had been frequently changing his location to avoid capture.
During the arrest, police seized critical evidence, including:
- A laptop
- An iPhone
- A thumb impression machine
The total value of the seized items is estimated at Rs 1.5 lakh. These devices were allegedly used to create and manage the fake licensing portal. Following his arrest, Yadav was produced before a court, which remanded him in four-day police custody for further interrogation.
This arrest highlights the growing challenge of cybercrime mimicking government services and the coordinated efforts required by police across states to tackle such sophisticated frauds.
