In a startling revelation exposing corruption within government systems, Rajasthan Police have uncovered a cybercrime racket involving a government employee and a group of online fraudsters who allegedly created fake replicas of official welfare websites to siphon off crores of rupees from public schemes. Six people have been arrested so far, while five others remain on the run.
Investigators said the gang cloned portals of major welfare programs such as PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, Disaster Management Relief, and Social Security schemes, using stolen official login credentials to access real beneficiary data.
They allegedly registered fake beneficiaries, approved applications under stolen officer identities, and redirected funds to accounts linked with the network.
Data Manipulated Through Official Logins
According to Jhalawar Police, the accused exploited authorized government IDs and passwords to download genuine beneficiary records. They then modified entries, adding ineligible applicants as beneficiaries to divert funds.
District Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar said authorities have so far frozen over 11,000 suspicious bank accounts, collectively holding around ₹1 crore. He added that the investigation revealed a single mobile number was used to create 95 farmer IDs, underscoring the organized nature of the fraud.
Network Spanned Rajasthan, Punjab, and Delhi
The cybercrime network reportedly operated from Jaipur, Dausa, Bharatpur, and Jodhpur, with links extending into Punjab and Delhi.
Earlier this month, police arrested 30 suspects from the same group, seizing ₹53 lakh in cash, 35 laptops, 70 mobile phones, and 14 vehicles during coordinated raids across multiple districts.
Inside Help from Government System Suspected
Among those arrested are Mohammad Laeeq, a state nodal officer, and two Jhalawar Collectorate employees — Ramesh and Vasudev.
Investigators suspect that insider access to departmental systems and knowledge of login protocols allowed the fraud to continue undetected for months.
Experts Warn of Rising Threat to Digital Governance
Cybercrime experts said the case exposes a growing vulnerability in India’s digital governance framework.
According to Dr. Triveni Singh, IPS (Retd.), a noted cybercrime expert, “When the breach originates within the system, the loss is not only monetary but institutional. Government employees handling sensitive data must be trained and held accountable under strict digital ethics policies.”
State Orders Technical Audit of All Government Portals
Following the arrests, the Rajasthan government has directed all departments to conduct cybersecurity audits of their digital platforms.
Officials said the state’s Cyber Cell has partnered with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to trace the data trails and digital fingerprints used in the fraud.
A Wake-Up Call for India’s Digital Welfare Infrastructure
The case raises serious questions about the security and authenticity of digital welfare delivery systems under the Digital India initiative.
Experts warn that without institutional accountability, access control, and stronger audit mechanisms, India’s rapidly expanding digital governance platforms could remain prime targets for insider-enabled cyber frauds.
