Bareilly: The Cyber Crime Police in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, have arrested two members of an organised Jharkhand-based gang allegedly involved in online fraud using stolen mobile phones and digital data. According to police, the accused used SIM cards and information stored in stolen phones to access victims’ accounts and withdraw money through online transactions. The investigation has revealed that the gang had links with cybercrime hotspots such as Jamtara and Dumka in Jharkhand and Nalanda in Bihar.
Acting on electronic surveillance inputs and information received from sources, the Cyber Crime Police arrested the two accused near the railway junction late Wednesday night. The arrested suspects have been identified as Rahul Kumar and Rahim Ansari, residents of Shivapahada area under Tinpahar police station in Sahibganj district of Jharkhand.
Police officials said the accused had been associated with a network involved in mobile theft and cyber fraud for a long time. One of the arrested accused, Rahul Kumar, has four criminal cases registered against him. Investigators are now questioning both suspects to identify other members of the gang and understand the complete structure of the network.
During the investigation, police found that four other members of the same gang had already been arrested on July 13 and sent to judicial custody. Two more accused linked to the group are currently absconding, and efforts are underway to trace them.
Police recovered 12 stolen mobile phones from the possession of the arrested accused. Among the recovered devices was an iPhone that was recently stolen from the Bhojipura area of Bareilly. Investigators are examining all the recovered phones to determine their involvement in other cyber fraud cases.
According to police, the gang operated through a well-organised method. The accused targeted crowded markets, public places and busy areas to steal mobile phones from unsuspecting people. These stolen devices were then supplied to cybercriminals, who allegedly used the SIM cards, banking applications and digital information stored in the phones to carry out online fraud.
The gang came under investigation after a complaint was filed by Shivshankar, a resident of Atria area under CB Ganj police station. The victim informed police that his mobile phone was stolen while he was purchasing vegetables. Soon after the theft, around ₹5.24 lakh was allegedly withdrawn from his bank account through online transactions. During the investigation, police traced the incident to an organised cybercrime network operating from Jharkhand.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly revealed that they carried out mobile thefts in Bareilly and nearby areas. The stolen phones were later sold to cybercriminals operating in different regions. Police suspect that these devices were supplied to cybercrime networks in Jamtara and Dumka in Jharthand and Nalanda in Bihar, where they were used for fraudulent activities.
The accused have also admitted their involvement in several mobile theft cases reported from areas including Bhojipura, Nawabganj, Rithora and CB Ganj in Bareilly. Police are now matching their statements with previous theft complaints registered in these areas.
The Cyber Crime Police are investigating the financial network of the gang, people involved in purchasing stolen mobile phones and other members connected with cyber fraud activities. Officials said further action will be taken against other suspects as the investigation progresses.
Police officials said continuous monitoring is being carried out to prevent the misuse of stolen mobile phones and digital data in cybercrime. The investigation is focused on identifying the entire network involved in stealing devices, transferring them to fraudsters and using them to target bank accounts.
