New Delhi | The East Delhi Police has busted a major international cyber fraud network allegedly operated through Telegram channels linked to handlers based in China. In this operation, three individuals, including a bank relationship manager, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in facilitating large-scale online financial fraud across India.
According to investigators, the gang targeted victims through fake investment schemes circulated on social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. Users were lured with attractive returns and then tricked into downloading malicious APK files or clicking suspicious links. Once installed, these applications reportedly granted fraudsters access to victims’ mobile data and banking credentials.
FCRF Returns With CDPO, Its Premier Data Protection Certification for Privacy Professionals
The stolen funds were routed through a network of mule bank accounts and quickly layered across multiple transactions to obscure their origin. Authorities stated that the syndicate operated in a highly structured manner, ensuring rapid movement of funds before detection could be triggered.
The arrested accused have been identified as bank relationship manager Franchu Kumar, Shaukeen from Meerut, and his nephew Shahrukh. Police officials said Franchu Kumar played a critical role in facilitating the opening of fraudulent bank accounts using fake or manipulated documentation. He allegedly earned commissions ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 per account.
Shaukeen and Shahrukh were responsible for operating these mule accounts and transferring the fraud proceeds further into the network. Investigators believe that over a span of just two and a half months, the gang defrauded victims of approximately ₹1 crore and targeted more than 50 individuals across different regions.
During interrogation, Shahrukh revealed that he was recruited through a Telegram channel connected to China-based cyber operatives. He reportedly underwent a 15-day online training module that taught him how to evade financial tracking systems and route illicit funds through layered transactions. Authorities noted that he comes from a modest educational background and was engaged in a small family-run business before joining the network.
Police have recovered multiple digital pieces of evidence, including bank records, ATM cards, and Telegram chat logs, which are helping reconstruct the operational structure of the syndicate. Officials suspect that the network is part of a larger transnational cybercrime ecosystem with active links across several Indian states.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Professor Triveni Singh said that such networks rely heavily on social engineering techniques combined with fake applications and digital inducements. He stated, “Once trust is established, victims are gradually manipulated into transferring their entire financial savings. These syndicates are increasingly using offshore messaging platforms like Telegram to execute fraud at scale.”
Investigators also highlighted the critical role played by banking insiders in enabling such crimes. The involvement of a bank relationship manager, officials said, significantly helped the fraudsters legitimize mule accounts and avoid early detection within the banking system.
Police teams are now tracking the crypto transactions used to move the stolen funds to overseas handlers. Preliminary findings suggest that the money was ultimately converted into cryptocurrency and transferred to wallets controlled outside India.
Authorities have indicated that further arrests are likely as the investigation expands into the broader network. Efforts are ongoing to identify additional collaborators and trace the complete financial trail of the scam.
