Major Cyber Crime Bust in Jharkhand Forest
In a significant crackdown on digital fraud, Deoghar police have apprehended eight cybercriminals who were operating from an abandoned forest location near Pesarpur village. The raid conducted on Monday under Devipur police station limits exposed an organized racket that targeted innocent people across multiple states.
The Coordinated Police Operation
The operation was launched following specific intelligence received by Deoghar SP Aman Priyesh Lakda. Acting on the tip-off about suspicious activities in the forested area, the cyber crime team led by Deputy SP Raja Kumar Mitra conducted the surprise raid.
"When the police reached the spot, the suspects tried to flee but were quickly nabbed," revealed Cyber DSP Raja Kumar Mitra on Tuesday. The police team demonstrated exceptional alertness in preventing the accused from escaping the isolated location.
Modus Operandi of the Fraudsters
Investigation uncovered that the gang was systematically defrauding people by posing as legitimate customer care representatives. Their technical expertise allowed them to convincingly impersonate officials of popular payment applications and government schemes like PM Kisan.
"Their modus operandi involved uploading fake customer care numbers on web, impersonating officials of payment apps or govt schemes," explained Mitra. The fraudsters would lure victims with attractive offers of cashback or refunds, then manipulate them into sharing sensitive financial information.
The unsuspecting callers were tricked into revealing crucial details including bank information, OTPs, and card data. Using this information, the criminals would transfer money from victims' accounts to their own accounts.
Evidence Recovered and Ongoing Investigation
During the raid, police seized significant evidence including eight mobile phones and twelve SIM cards from the possession of the accused. The recovered devices are currently being examined by cyber experts, and preliminary checks have revealed evidence of scams targeting victims in various states.
Those arrested in connection with the cyber fraud operation include: Rahul Kumar Das (20), Bikram Kumar Das (19), Amit Kumar Das (19), Dablu Kumar Das (19), Muchkund Das (30), Chandan Kumar Das (24), Pawan Kumar Das (30), and Anand Kumar Das (23).
The police have confirmed that the accused were operating as an organized network, using social media platforms and web listings to reach potential victims. This case highlights the growing sophistication of cyber criminals in rural and semi-urban areas of India.
Authorities have urged citizens to be extremely cautious when sharing personal or financial information over phone calls, especially with unverified customer care numbers found online. The investigation continues as police work to identify all victims and recover stolen funds.
