Varanasi: In a chilling case that highlights the growing convergence of cybercrime and violent organised crime, Varanasi Police have arrested five accused in the murder of grocery trader Jitendra Patel, who was allegedly killed as part of a conspiracy to gain access to the ₹2.6 million (₹26 lakh) deposited in his bank account. Investigators said the accused planned the murder after discovering the victim’s bank balance during a fake Paytm KYC verification, making it one of the most disturbing examples of cyber fraud escalating into a contract-style shooting.
To solve the case, police examined footage from nearly 2,000 CCTV cameras, while a team of around 50 police personnel worked continuously on the investigation. During an encounter in the Karsada area, the alleged shooter and another accused sustained injuries. Police recovered ₹178,000 in cash, illegal firearms, SIM cards, QR codes, debit cards, mobile phones, a laptop and several other items allegedly used in cyber fraud operations.
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According to investigators, those arrested have been identified as Sushil Patel alias Golu (the alleged shooter), Giyanshu Patel alias Babu, Ayush Patel alias Bhola, Aman Seth, and Manish Singh. All are between 19 and 23 years of age.
The investigation revealed that about six months before the murder, Giyanshu and Ayush visited Jitendra Patel’s grocery store on the pretext of updating his Paytm KYC. While handling the victim’s mobile phone, they allegedly discovered that his bank account contained ₹2.6 million. Tempted by the amount, they initially planned to steal the mobile phone but later conspired to eliminate the victim to gain control of the device and access his financial accounts. Aman Seth and Manish Singh were allegedly brought into the conspiracy, and the victim’s movements were monitored for several days. Investigators said an illegal pistol was later procured from Munger, Bihar, to execute the plan.
Police said that on the day of the crime, the accused followed the victim on an unregistered Ronin motorcycle. About 100 metres from his home, the pillion rider allegedly opened fire. The first bullet struck Jitendra Patel in the back as he attempted to run towards his house. A second shot aimed at his head reportedly missed. Investigators said the remaining accused coordinated the operation from a Hyundai Aura car and fled through village roads immediately after the attack.
During interrogation, police found that the accused had educational backgrounds ranging from Intermediate to ITI, B.Sc. and B.A. They allegedly admitted that they were inspired by the cybercrime-based web series “Jamtara” and chose cyber fraud as a shortcut to make quick money. Ayush had previously worked with a digital payments company, where he handled merchants’ Paytm KYC processes and gained access to QR codes and customer information before allegedly forming his own cyber fraud network.
Police said the gang primarily targeted elderly shopkeepers and individuals with limited digital awareness. Under the guise of completing KYC formalities, they allegedly gained temporary control of victims’ mobile phones, secured loans through multiple loan apps, removed SIM cards and used them to authorise digital transactions. The funds were then allegedly spent on purchasing gold and silver jewellery and conducting other financial transactions.
The police recovered a 7.65 mm pistol, a .315 bore country-made firearm, 10 Paytm devices, 29 debit cards, 20 mobile phones, 116 QR codes, an Apple laptop, nine SIM cards, a Wi-Fi dongle, passbooks and cheque books from the accused. Investigators believe the gang was also involved in cyber fraud cases across Varanasi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Ayodhya and Chandauli. Following the successful investigation, the Police Commissioner announced a ₹100,000 reward for the investigating team.
Commenting on the case, renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said cybercrime is no longer confined to the digital space. Organised criminal groups increasingly combine social engineering, fake KYC verification and financial fraud with conventional violent crime to achieve their objectives. He advised citizens never to hand over their mobile phones, OTPs, banking applications or financial credentials to anyone claiming to conduct KYC verification and urged the public to report any suspicious activity to the authorities without delay.
