Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur have uncovered a cyber fraud and hawala network allegedly involving around ₹250 crore. The investigation has revealed that Sultan Mirza alias Abhay alias Jaan Sena alias Valentine, a resident of Sasaram in Bihar, is suspected to be the mastermind behind the entire operation. According to police, the gang’s network extends across several states in India and foreign countries. After the arrest of four key accused, investigators suspect that the total amount involved in the fraud could rise to nearly ₹500 crore.
Police have arrested Rajveer Singh, Shivam Sinha and ₹25,000 rewardee accused Ankit Goyal in connection with the case. During interrogation, it was revealed that the gang was allegedly using hawala channels to transfer money obtained through cyber fraud. Police are now investigating other members linked to the network, financial transactions and international connections.
The investigation has revealed that the gang had a structured system for moving money collected through cyber fraud. A special codeword was allegedly used for hawala transactions. During questioning, accused persons revealed that the term “KG” was used to indicate money transfers. One “KG” represented a transfer of ₹1 lakh, while two “KG” referred to ₹2 lakh. The code reportedly increased depending on the amount being transferred.
According to investigators, the gang transferred money only during limited time windows to avoid suspicion. The accused allegedly carried out hawala transfers twice a day, maintaining a gap of around two hours between transactions. The investigation has also revealed that the illegally obtained money was transferred to locations including Maharashtra, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Mumbai and other states, besides Dubai and other foreign destinations.
During interrogation, arrested accused persons allegedly told police that they provided bank accounts to Sultan Mirza. In return, they received around ₹25,000 per account every month. Police suspect that Rajveer and Shivam played a major role in facilitating cyber fraud operations spread across nine states, involving transactions worth nearly ₹250 crore.
Police officials said Shivam Sinha was allegedly working as a fund manager for the gang. His role was reportedly to handle movement of fraud money and manage financial dealings between different members. Investigators said that after Shivam’s arrest, several members of the gang became active in attempts to secure his release and contacted multiple lawyers for legal assistance.
During the investigation, police also arrested Ankit Goyal, a resident of Fatehpur Sikri in Agra. A reward of ₹25,000 had been declared for information leading to his arrest. According to police, Goyal was also operating a separate cyber fraud network similar to Sultan Mirza’s gang. His alleged role included arranging mule bank accounts and providing resources for fraudulent activities.
The investigation has also indicated the possible involvement of some bank employees, officials, lawyers and other influential persons in the network. Police suspect that bank personnel may have helped in opening accounts using fraudulent documents. Investigators have identified some suspected individuals and further action is likely after verification of their roles.
Police have also uncovered details about Sultan Mirza’s alleged lavish lifestyle. According to investigators, he travelled to Dubai, Nepal, Kathmandu and Thailand. Police have collected video footage from hotels and other locations as part of the investigation. Officials claim that the accused spent a significant amount of the fraud money on luxury parties and an extravagant lifestyle.
Police are currently tracking Sultan Mirza’s location in Dubai. Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal said that authorities are initiating the process to cancel his passport as part of efforts to prevent further movement. Further legal action will be taken after completing necessary procedures.
According to police sources, Sultan Mirza’s network is not limited to Rajveer and Shivam. Four more suspected members of the gang are currently under investigation. Their arrest could reveal a wider network and increase the estimated amount involved in the cyber fraud operation. Police officials said that more major revelations are expected as the investigation progresses.
