Mangaluru Police Crack Down on Nepal-Based Investment Fraud Syndicate
In a significant breakthrough, the Mangaluru Cyber Crime Police have apprehended 11 individuals from various regions across India. This operation targets a highly organized, cross-border investment fraud syndicate with established connections to Nepal. Authorities confirmed on Thursday that this criminal network has allegedly siphoned off crores of rupees from unsuspecting Indian citizens through sophisticated online scams.
Modus Operandi and Arrest Details
The fraudulent group operated by recruiting bank account holders primarily through popular social media platforms like Instagram and Telegram. They enticed victims with promises of lucrative commissions and fake job opportunities. Once the illicit funds were acquired, they were systematically converted into cryptocurrency and transferred overseas to evade detection.
The arrested individuals have been identified as:
- Makvan Vikram, 25, from Gujarat
- Soumyaditya Chattopadhyay, 21, from West Bengal
- Pupla Shiva Kumar Rao, 32, Rajesh Mandan, 30, and Mithun Kumar Mangaraj, 38, all from Jharkhand
- Gaurav Pandey, 24, Harsh Mishra, 22, Mohammed Akeeb Ali, 27, and Naushad Ali, 34, from Uttar Pradesh
- Rajiv Ranjan Kumar, 30, from Bihar
- Om Prakash Yadav, 37, from Rajasthan
Investigation Origins and Digital Evidence
The case was initiated following a formal complaint where a victim reported being defrauded of ₹1.38 crore. The money was transferred to 10 different bank accounts, which were later discovered to be linked to multiple cybercrime incidents nationwide. Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy emphasized that the syndicate functioned through a network of Indian operatives who coordinated online investment scams using various social media channels.
During the operation, law enforcement officials seized critical evidence, including:
- One laptop
- Twenty-one mobile phones
- Twenty SIM cards
- Multiple debit and credit cards
Digital forensic analysis of the confiscated devices uncovered a staggering 624 bank accounts suspected of being used to route fraudulent proceeds. Furthermore, over 4,580 complaints associated with these accounts have been registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Notably, transactions in a single account alone exceeded ₹167 crore, highlighting the extensive scale of this criminal enterprise.
Ongoing Investigations and Warnings
Authorities have confirmed that five additional suspects are currently absconding, and the involvement of foreign associates is under separate investigation. Police have also issued a stern warning about the escalating threat of "digital slavery," a disturbing trend where Indian youths are lured abroad with false job promises and coerced into participating in cyber fraud operations.
The Mangaluru police continue their diligent efforts to dismantle this fraudulent network completely, with further investigations actively underway to uncover all facets of this complex cross-border scam.
