Cyber Syndicate’s Financial Operator Arrested in Lucknow; ₹95 Lakh Fraud Traced Through Layered Micro-Transactions
Lucknow: In a significant breakthrough against organised cybercrime, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) on Friday arrested a key financial operator of a “digital arrest” fraud syndicate. The accused, Pradeep Soni, a resident of Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh and a high-school dropout, allegedly handled financial layering, mule accounts and ATM-based cash movements for the cyber gang that has defrauded victims across multiple states.
Officials said Soni posed as officers of the police, narcotics department and crime branch to threaten individuals and extort money, acting as a crucial link in the syndicate’s operations.
₹95 Lakh Fraud Exposes the Trail
The investigation stemmed from a complaint filed by Dr B.N. Singh, a noted academic from Lucknow, who was conned in April this year. Dr Singh received a call from a man posing as an employee of a courier company who claimed that a parcel sent in his name contained “illegal materials”.
The call was immediately transferred to a self-styled “police officer”, followed by a video call during which another impersonator displayed a forged RBI notice to intimidate the victim.
Under this manufactured urgency, Dr Singh was instructed to transfer ₹95 lakh to designated bank accounts “until the investigation was completed”. Overwhelmed by the threat, he transferred the amount on April 8. A fraud alert led him to file an official complaint on the National Cyber Crime Portal.
420 Micro-Transactions, 11 Accounts: A Trail of Layered Laundering
During the probe, the STF discovered that the account which received Dr Singh’s money had already been used for multiple high-value suspicious transactions. To ensure the amount was untraceable, the gang split the ₹95 lakh into 420 micro-transactions, routing them through 11 different bank accounts.
This sophisticated layering process was allegedly managed by Pradeep Soni, who handled:
- ATM withdrawals
- Cash handovers
- Deposits through mule accounts
- Creation and circulation of new “account kits”
Investigators say this structure helped the syndicate evade early detection while allowing quick cash conversion.
Two Gang Members Held Earlier
The syndicate had already suffered setbacks earlier this year. Two key operatives — Mohammad Iqbal and Shine Iqbal — were arrested from Maharashtra in July. With Soni’s arrest, officials believe a major portion of the financial architecture of the gang has been disrupted.
How Soni Entered the Network: The ‘Account-on-Rent’ Pitch
According to STF Additional Superintendent of Police Vishal Vikram Singh, Soni had earlier worked in Bhopal before quitting his job. Around Diwali 2024, he met Amit Kaithwans alias Ketu and Rohit Lodhi alias Bittu, who lured him with an offer to “rent out bank accounts” for cash.
The gang promised ₹10,000 per account, along with commission on every transaction.
Soni then began collecting “account kits” — Aadhaar, PAN, ATM cards, chequebooks — from Vidisha, Bhopal and Raisen. His role included withdrawing the siphoned money and depositing it at designated locations as instructed by senior members of the syndicate.
Fake Identities on WhatsApp: Operated Under Names ‘Manhar’ and ‘Sanju’
The investigation revealed that Soni used WhatsApp aliases — Manhar and Sanju — to conceal his identity while coordinating with other members of the network.
At the time of arrest, the STF recovered:
- Two mobile phones
- Aadhaar-PAN cards
- Multiple ATM cards
- Driving licence
- Several SIM cards
- Screenshots and details of mule accounts
More Suspects on the Run; Crackdown Continues
STF officials said digital-arrest frauds are operated through extensive interstate networks, with roles divided across callers, impersonators, financiers, recruiters and mule-account handlers. Several members of this syndicate are still absconding, and efforts are underway to trace their locations.
Investigators describe Soni’s arrest as a critical breakthrough, particularly at a time when digital-arrest scams are rising sharply. These gangs routinely exploit fear, intimidation and fabricated identities of government agencies to trap unsuspecting victims.
