Bihar Police has uncovered a major cybercrime syndicate with cross-border links to Pakistan, exposing how local fraudsters received online training from handlers across the border. The revelations surfaced following multiple arrests in West Champaran district, where police seized laptops, mobile phones, SIM cards, ATM cards, and bank records tied to the gang’s activities.
Cross-Border Training and Fraud Network
According to Cyber DSP Abhinav Parashar, the arrested individuals admitted that they were in direct contact with a Pakistan-based fraudster named Imran. Investigations revealed evidence of WhatsApp chats with Pakistani numbers, pointing towards organized cross-border coordination. Fraudsters in Pakistan allegedly trained their Indian counterparts through video demonstrations on executing scams, transferring money through CDM machines, and siphoning funds via multiple accounts.
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Police sources said that the arrested suspects, identified as Akhilesh Kumar, Rohit Kumar, Manish Kumar, and Anand Kumar, disclosed that the gang’s mastermind, Prem Yadav, is currently absconding. During raids, police recovered two laptops, 12 mobile phones, 26 SIM cards, 62 ATM cards, passbooks, Aadhaar and PAN cards, along with digital records of numerous bank accounts.
Over 400 Members, Youth from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh Involved
Interrogation revealed that the network had over 400 active fraudsters, with nearly 200 recruits from Uttar Pradesh alone. The syndicate’s operations extended far beyond Bihar, pointing towards a highly structured cybercrime ecosystem. Police said some members were paid to withdraw large sums of money from ATMs daily, while others created fake identities online to defraud unsuspecting victims.
The investigation began after a woman from Motihari filed a complaint on August 23, alleging that cybercriminals demanded money using a fake Facebook ID created in her relative’s name. She claimed the fraudsters threatened her with dire consequences when she considered approaching the police. Following her complaint, the cybercrime unit intensified its probe, leading to Saturday night’s arrests.
DIG Harkishore Rai of Bettiah Range confirmed that further investigations are underway, with central intelligence agencies also joining the probe. Police said the scale of the operation points to Pakistan’s growing role in training Indian fraudsters, raising serious security and law enforcement concerns.