Lucknow: The Crime Branch has made another arrest in the alleged cyber fraud case involving US citizens, with investigators apprehending a man identified as Nitesh from Ahmedabad. According to police, Nitesh was a close associate of gang leader Charles and allegedly handled the movement of fraud proceeds from one city to another through hawala channels. He is being brought to Lucknow for questioning, where investigators are expected to examine his links with the gang, its financial network and other associates.
The investigation so far has indicated that the gang operated in an organised manner to target US citizens and extract large sums of money from them. According to the police investigation, the network allegedly defrauded US citizens of around ₹250 crore through the fake call centre. Following the disclosure of the scale of the alleged fraud, investigators have expanded their probe to identify the bank accounts, hawala operators and other channels through which the money was allegedly transferred and distributed.
Fake Call Centre Busted on July 2
The case came to light after police carried out a major operation on July 2 and busted a fake call centre operating from the 11th floor of Summit Building. During the operation, 27 women and 92 men, a total of 119 people, were arrested from the premises.
The preliminary investigation indicated that employees working at the call centre allegedly contacted people in foreign countries and used various deceptive methods to convince them to transfer money. Investigators are now examining the exact role of each person associated with the operation and the manner in which the alleged fraud was coordinated.
Police suspect that the call centre was only one component of a larger organised network. Apart from the people making calls, the network allegedly involved individuals responsible for collecting, moving and managing the proceeds of the fraud. The suspected use of hawala channels to move money between different cities has added another dimension to the investigation.
Nitesh’s arrest is being viewed as an important link in tracing the financial trail of the alleged operation.
Probe Into Charles’ Network Intensifies
According to investigators, Nitesh was in close contact with Charles, who is suspected of being the gang’s key operator. Nitesh allegedly helped move the proceeds of the fraud from one location to another. Investigators are now trying to establish the identities of the people he was in contact with and determine the cities through which the alleged hawala transactions were routed.
During questioning, investigators are expected to seek information about other members of the network, the movement of money and possible links with associates operating outside the country. The probe will also examine whether the alleged proceeds were divided into smaller amounts and transferred through multiple channels to conceal the financial trail.
Investigation Continues After 119 Arrests
Despite the large-scale arrests made during the July 2 operation, the investigation into the alleged fraud network remains underway. The findings so far suggest that the operation may have extended beyond the premises of the fake call centre, with a broader financial and operational network allegedly spread across multiple cities.
Investigators are working to establish the complete financial trail of the alleged ₹250 crore fraud, identify the number of US citizens who may have been targeted and determine where the proceeds were ultimately transferred or used.
The questioning of Nitesh is expected to provide further leads about the network’s financial operations and its members. Investigators are also examining the role of Charles and his other suspected associates as they work to uncover the full extent of the alleged international fraud operation.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
