The Special Task Force (STF) Cyber Crime Police, Uttarakhand, has arrested a woman involved in a large interstate cyber fraud racket. The accused, Charanjit Kaur, daughter of Gurjant Singh, was apprehended from Chandigarh (Punjab). She allegedly duped a Dehradun resident of nearly ₹40 lakh by posing as an officer from a government agency and manipulating the victim through WhatsApp calls made from US-based international numbers.
This arrest comes weeks after another female prime accused in the same case had already been taken into custody, highlighting the scale and organized nature of the racket.
Modus Operandi: Fake Profiles, International Numbers, and False Promises
According to STF, the gang used fake WhatsApp profiles, foreign-registered numbers, and fraudulent identities to win the trust of victims. In this case, the victim was contacted via WhatsApp, where the accused posed as a government officer and persuaded her to invest in a gold business.
By sending repeated messages and creating urgency, the fraudsters convinced the victim to transfer large sums of money under the pretext of buying raw materials. Technical manipulation and psychological pressure ensured the victim remained unaware that she was falling prey to a well-orchestrated cyber scam.
Evidence Seized and Transactions Uncovered
During the arrest, police seized:
- 4 mobile phones
- 5 SIM cards
- 1 Aadhaar card
- 3 debit cards
- Bank cheque book (Punjab Gramin Bank)
- UPI scanner
- 2 Indigo airline tickets
Investigators revealed that the bank accounts linked to the accused witnessed transactions worth lakhs between May and June 2025. Preliminary checks also confirmed that these accounts were linked to at least four other cybercrime cases across Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
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Multi-State Links in the Fraud
The arrested woman’s bank accounts have surfaced in four separate cyber fraud complaints registered in different states:
- Bharuch, Gujarat – Online financial fraud
- Triplicane, Tamil Nadu – Online financial fraud
- Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh – Online financial fraud
- Patel Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand – Online financial fraud
This highlights the interstate reach of the syndicate, operating through digital platforms and false identities.
Police Investigation and Technical Analysis
The case was supervised by Senior Superintendent of Police (STF), with operational monitoring by Additional SP, DySP Ankush Mishra, and investigation led by Inspector, Cyber Crime Police Station, Dehradun.
The STF Cyber Crime team coordinated with banks, telecom service providers, and Meta (WhatsApp parent company) to trace technical footprints. Their analysis helped track the fraudulent transactions and identify the accused, leading to her arrest in Chandigarh.
STF Advisory: Beware of “Digital Arrest” and Fake Agency Calls
Following the arrest, SSP Navneet Singh issued a public advisory, warning citizens about the rising menace of “digital arrest scams.” Fraudsters impersonate officers from agencies such as CBI, ED, Cyber Crime, IT Department, or Mumbai Crime Branch via WhatsApp calls, threatening victims with false charges or illegal documents to extort money.
The advisory urged citizens to:
- Avoid trusting unknown WhatsApp calls or suspicious profiles.
- Never transfer money based on threats or fake government claims.
- Report suspicious messages or scams to STF/Cyber Police immediately.
- Use the 1930 Cybercrime Helpline or www.cybercrime.gov.in portal to file complaints.
- Verify online offers, banking opportunities, or franchise schemes thoroughly before making payments.
The Bigger Picture: Growing Cybercrime Threats
The case highlights the rapidly evolving landscape of cybercrime in India, where fraudsters increasingly use international numbers, fake social media profiles, and psychological manipulation to exploit victims. Uttarakhand STF’s action shows how multi-state coordination and technical intelligence are becoming crucial in tackling digital fraud.
As cybercrime grows in scale and sophistication, police urge the public to exercise constant vigilance, skepticism, and digital literacy as the first line of defense.
