Patna | Police in Patna have busted an alleged cyber fraud racket operating a fake call centre from a rented apartment and arrested a college student, his girlfriend and an associate. Investigators allege that the group cheated people across multiple states by posing as facilitators of the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Loan Scheme and other government programmes. During the raid, police seized ₹6,08,650 in cash, 14 mobile phones, one laptop, one tablet, 15 ATM cards, five cheque books, four passbooks, seven SIM cards and other digital evidence. The allegations remain subject to verification through the ongoing investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.
According to police, a joint team conducted a raid at a rented flat in the Jogipur area under the Patrakar Nagar police station limits after receiving information about the alleged fake call centre. During the operation, Akshay Kumar, 22, from Nawada district, Shivam Kumar, 22, from Gaya district, and Rimjhim Kumari, 20, from Patna, were arrested.
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Investigators allege that Akshay Kumar was the mastermind of the operation. Police said he was already involved in cyber fraud activities and allegedly recruited his college classmate and girlfriend, Rimjhim Kumari, to work as a caller in the operation. His friend Shivam Kumar was also allegedly brought into the network to assist with the scheme.
According to the investigation, the accused allegedly posted fake advertisements on Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms, claiming to offer Pradhan Mantri Mudra Loan Scheme loans and other low-interest financing options. Contact details of interested applicants were then collected through these advertisements.
Police allege that Rimjhim Kumari would subsequently contact prospective victims by phone, introduce herself as a loan processing representative and persuade them to proceed with the application. Once a victim agreed, the group allegedly sent forged loan approval letters and demanded payments ranging from ₹500 to ₹2,000 through QR codes or UPI for GST, processing fees, approval charges and other purported administrative expenses. After receiving the money, the victims’ contact numbers were allegedly blocked.
Investigators said preliminary findings suggest that the network may have targeted victims not only in Bihar but also in Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and several other states. Police are comparing complaints registered in different jurisdictions to determine the full scale of the alleged fraud.
The investigation has also revealed that SIM cards allegedly used in the operation were obtained from a local shop without valid identity documents. Police have launched an investigation into the suspected role of the shop owner and are conducting raids to locate the individual. Officials added that two additional suspects believed to be associated with the racket remain absconding.
A researcher at Algoritha Security said cybercriminals frequently exploit the names of government welfare schemes and easy loan programmes to manipulate victims through social engineering. The researcher advised the public to verify every government loan offer through official portals before making any payment. People should be cautious if they are asked to pay processing fees, GST or approval charges in advance for a loan and should immediately report suspicious activity to the cyber police.
Police said forensic analysis of the seized digital devices, bank accounts, mobile data, social media records and financial transactions is underway. Further legal action will be taken based on the evidence collected during the investigation, while efforts continue to trace and arrest the remaining suspects.
