In a significant crackdown on digital financial fraud, Dhanbad police have apprehended a gang of five interstate cybercriminals operating from a hotel in the city. The arrests were made near the Bank More area, marking a crucial victory for law enforcement against organized cybercrime networks targeting bank customers across state lines.
The Arrested Accused and Their Origins
The five individuals taken into custody have been identified as Suraj Chauhan and Sahil Khan from Uttar Pradesh, Pintu Kumar Mandal and Biku Shah from Bihar, and Basant Kumar Mandal from Dhanbad itself in Jharkhand. Their arrest followed a targeted police operation based on intelligence inputs about suspicious activities at the local hotel.
Deceptive Modus Operandi Unveiled
Senior Police (City) official Ritvik Srivastava stated that the accused confessed to their involvement in numerous cross-state cybercrime cases during interrogation. The gang's method was sophisticated and relied on social engineering. They first arranged for dummy bank accounts through associates working in various banks. Using these accounts as a base, they would then craft deceptive messages designed to look entirely legitimate.
The fraudulent communications were sent to potential victims and included APK files disguised as official DTO e-challan notices, tempting SBI reward messages, and links pretending to be from the YONO SBI platform. Once an unsuspecting user clicked on these links or installed the malicious APK files, the criminals gained access to the victim's SMS alerts and One-Time Passwords (OTPs). This was achieved by enabling call forwarding on the compromised devices, allowing them to bypass security measures and siphon money directly from the victims' accounts.
Substantial Haul of Evidence Seized
The police raid led to the recovery of a substantial cache of equipment used in the illegal operations. The seized items include:
- 10 mobile phones
- 38 ATM cards
- Multiple SIM cards issued fraudulently under different individuals' names
- 16 SIM cards specifically used for activating bank accounts
- Fingerprint cloning equipment
- A Paytm company Point-of-Sale (POS) machine
- Several other electronic devices
This evidence paints a clear picture of a well-organized operation with the tools to create false identities and bypass financial security systems.
Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation
A formal case has been registered at the Bank More police station under the relevant sections of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. Senior officer Srivastava emphasized that the investigation is actively progressing. Authorities are now focused on tracing the complex financial trail left by the gang's activities. More arrests are likely in the near future as the police work to identify and apprehend other members and associates of this widespread cybercrime network. This operation underscores the persistent threat of digital fraud and the continuous efforts by Indian police to adapt and respond to these evolving crimes.
