The Cyber Crime Wing of the Greater Chennai Police (GCP) successfully conducted a major operation that resulted in the arrest of four men from Assam who were part of a group of fraudsters. These fraudsters were involved in swindling money from individuals by posing as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the police, and threatening their victims with digital arrests.
The case came to light when a retired administrative officer of the Central Public Works Department in Thiruvanmiyur filed a complaint stating that he had received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number on September 3. The caller, who claimed to be a senior telecom officer of TRAI, collected his personal information and then transferred the call to individuals claiming to be Mumbai police officers. Subsequently, the victim was informed that there was an arrest warrant pending against him and was instructed to provide identity and address proofs. The scammers then coerced him into visiting Mumbai for an inquiry related to a fabricated money laundering case, extracting his family and banking details in the process. The victim was made to stay on a WhatsApp video call during the entire inquiry process and was warned not to disclose the situation to anyone due to alleged national security reasons. Eventually, the scammers directed him to liquidate his fixed deposits and transfer the money to a bank account they claimed belonged to the Reserve Bank of India, promising its return after a supposed verification process. The victim ended up transferring a staggering ₹88 lakh to an ICICI Bank account provided by the fraudsters before realizing he had fallen victim to a scam.
Upon investigating the bank account details, the cyber crime police traced the funds to Harshi Health Care Private Limited in Guwahati, Assam, owned by Partha Pratim Bora, 38. Bora had received a total of ₹3.8 crore from eight transactions through similar fraudulent methods, which he further distributed among 178 different bank accounts across various states on the same day. Following Bora’s arrest, the police apprehended Dhrubajyoti Mazumdar, 25, Swaraj Pradhan, 22, Prashant Giri, 21, and Pranjal Hazarika, 28, based on his confession. Interrogation revealed that these suspects served as intermediaries for the fraud group, facilitating coordination among the on-ground agents from cities like New Delhi, Kolkata, Kerala, Jaipur, Mumbai, and Goa, as well as individuals responsible for holding and transferring the stolen funds temporarily. The group operated with a vast network of agents across the globe.
GCP Commissioner A. Arun issued a cautionary message to the public, advising them to remain vigilant against calls impersonating law enforcement or government officials, enticing high-profit investment schemes, and fraudulent investment platforms. He emphasized the importance of refraining from transferring money to unfamiliar bank accounts and warned that individuals involved in aiding fraudsters by opening bank accounts would face legal consequences.
The swift and effective action taken by the Cyber Crime Wing of the GCP serves as a deterrent to cyber fraudsters and underscores the importance of public awareness and caution in dealing with digital threats. As instances of cybercrime continue to rise, it is crucial for individuals to exercise caution and remain informed about potential scams to safeguard themselves and their financial assets.