Panchkula police have identified more than 20 cyber fraud cases pending for over a year and drawn up an action plan to pursue them, with special teams to be sent to other states to track down suspects.
Officials said most of the shortlisted matters relate to investment fraud and had remained unresolved because the accused were operating from outside Haryana.
Special teams to pursue accused in other states
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime and Traffic, Amrinder Singh said around 20 to 22 long-pending cases had been shortlisted for focused investigation. He said special teams had been formed and would be dispatched to various states to conduct raids, trace suspects and work with local police to secure arrests.
Officials said several accused were based in states as far as West Bengal. Because such cases often require long-distance travel and coordination, investigators had earlier been hesitant to pursue arrests aggressively. A fresh plan has now been put in place, and arrests are expected soon.
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Focus on investment fraud and mule accounts
Many of those under scrutiny are mule account holders, meaning people in whose bank accounts the defrauded money was received. Officials said the move was intended to bring long-pending cases to closure and provide relief to victims who had been waiting for progress.
Most of the cases involve investment fraud in which complainants encountered attractive stock market or investment-related advertisements on social media platforms. After clicking on or responding to the ads, victims were contacted on WhatsApp or Telegram and lured with promises of high returns. Police said fraudsters gradually gained trust and induced victims to invest larger sums in multiple stages.
Public warning on online investment offers
Amrinder Singh also cautioned the public against blindly trusting links, groups or investment offers circulated on Facebook, Instagram, Telegram or WhatsApp, especially those promising unusually high returns, share trading tips, cryptocurrency gains or IPO investments. He advised people not to share banking details, OTPs, PINs or personal documents on unfamiliar apps, websites or links.
Police urged victims of cyber fraud to act quickly by calling the National Cyber Helpline 1930 or reporting incidents on cybercrime.gov.in. Prompt reporting can help authorities track and freeze defrauded funds in time.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
