Kota Cyber Police Uncover Rs 92.75 Lakh Fraud Network with International Links
In a significant crackdown on digital crime, the Baran cyber police in Kota have successfully busted a sophisticated cyber fraud operation amounting to Rs 92.75 lakh. The elaborate scheme involved routing stolen funds through bank accounts of non-governmental organizations before transferring the money to Mumbai and Dubai, where the gang's kingpin is reportedly based.
Arrests Made in Multi-State Investigation
Two accused individuals from Madhya Pradesh have been arrested in connection with this high-value cyber fraud case. The police identified the suspects as Vikas Tiwari (29) of Katni and Mohammad Zeeshan (26) of Satna. Both were apprehended from District Jail Katni after authorities obtained a production warrant on Saturday.
The accused were produced in court on Sunday, where they were remanded to judicial custody. This development follows a case already registered in Katni district, which helped investigators identify and locate the perpetrators.
How the Elaborate Scam Operated
According to police reports, the fraudsters employed a carefully orchestrated strategy to deceive their victim. The operation began in September 2025 when the victim, Vishnu Galav, a resident of Baran city, was contacted through a messenger application by a woman identifying herself as Harman Kaur.
The woman claimed to be a project manager at an IT company in Bengaluru and gradually built rapport with Galav. She then persuaded him to invest through Telegram using a trading application named "CMC Global Market."
"Initially, a profit of Rs 54,000 was shown to gain his trust," police officials revealed. This initial success was designed to establish credibility and encourage larger investments from the victim.
The Trap Springs Shut
Once Galav attempted to withdraw his funds, the accused introduced unexpected financial barriers. They demanded additional payments under various pretexts, including "Foreign Exchange Fee" and "Trading Fee." Between October 2 and December 4, 2025, a staggering total of Rs 92.75 lakh was systematically transferred from the bank accounts of Galav and his wife through multiple banking channels.
Baran SP Abhishek Andasu confirmed that Galav filed a formal complaint at the Baran Cyber Police Station in December last year, triggering the investigation that ultimately led to these arrests.
Complex Money Trail Uncovered
Investigators traced a convoluted financial pathway that revealed the sophistication of this criminal operation. The accused had opened a bank account in the name of an NGO by misleading an individual in Katni, Madhya Pradesh, falsely claiming the account was intended for charitable donations.
"Funds were further transferred to Mumbai and even to Dubai," police disclosed, highlighting the international dimensions of this cyber fraud network. The Dubai connection is particularly significant as authorities believe the gang's kingpin operates from there.
Partial Recovery for Victim
Following Galav's complaint in December 2025, cyber police acted swiftly to mitigate the financial damage. Authorities successfully froze Rs 27 lakh of the defrauded amount and have already refunded Rs 10 lakh to the victim.
The remaining Rs 17 lakh is scheduled to be processed to the victim's account based on court orders. Police also noted that "one of the accused was arrested in January this year" as part of their ongoing investigation into this complex cyber crime network.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the sophisticated methods employed by cyber criminals who exploit digital platforms and psychological manipulation to defraud unsuspecting victims of substantial sums. The Baran cyber police's successful intervention demonstrates the growing capability of law enforcement agencies to track and dismantle such elaborate digital fraud operations.
