In a significant crackdown on digital crime, the cyber cell of East Champaran police successfully dismantled a major cybercrime syndicate this Friday. The operation led to the arrest of three key members of the gang from two separate districts. The individuals were wanted in connection with a staggering 10 cases of cyber fraud registered across different states in India.
The Arrests and Seizure
The police identified the arrested accused as Jitendra Kumar from Rajepur in East Champaran, and Amal Kumar and Om Prakash Kumar from Punaura in the Sitamarhi district. The raid proved highly fruitful, with authorities recovering substantial evidence from the criminals. The seized items included Rs 1.2 lakh in cash, five mobile phones, 18 ATM cards, and a motorcycle.
How the Elaborate Scam Was Uncovered
The breakthrough came when the cyber cell, led by Cyber DSP Abhinav Parashar, received specific intelligence about suspicious, multiple transactions being conducted through a particular bank account. A deep dive into the account's history revealed a shocking pattern: 10 separate complaints of cyber fraud from various states were linked to this single account.
Acting swiftly on this lead, police used KYC details to identify the account holder as Bharat Prasad from Dulma village under the Madhuban police station area of East Champaran. Upon being taken into custody and interrogated, Prasad disclosed a critical piece of information. He confessed to handing over his cellphone number, account details, cheque book, and ATM card to one Jitendra Kumar. He was allegedly promised that this would help improve his Cibil score, a critical metric that indicates creditworthiness and loan repayment ability.
This act of trust was grossly exploited. The cyber criminals began channeling money obtained through various online frauds into Bharat Prasad's account and subsequently withdrawing it, using him as an unwitting money mule. Following a thorough investigation based on this confession, the cyber police team tracked down and arrested the three main operatives.
Scale of the Financial Fraud
The police investigation has uncovered the massive scale of the operation. Preliminary findings indicate that transactions worth more than Rs 3 crore have passed through the compromised bank account in just a few months, from April until the present day. This figure highlights the syndicate's extensive reach and the significant financial damage inflicted on victims nationwide.
This bust serves as a stern warning to cyber criminals and a crucial reminder to the public. Citizens must never share sensitive financial documents like ATM cards, cheque books, or online banking credentials with anyone, even if promised services like credit score improvement. The East Champaran police's proactive cyber policing has effectively neutralized a significant threat to digital financial security.
