Police have arrested six men in connection with a ₹50 lakh cyber fraud in which criminals allegedly impersonated a company’s chairman and managing director (CMD) on WhatsApp to persuade an employee to transfer money into a bank account.
How Did the Fraud Happen?
According to police, a 28-year-old Faridabad resident filed a complaint on September 17, alleging that he had received a WhatsApp message from an unknown mobile number. The sender had used a photograph of his company’s CMD as the profile picture, creating the impression that the communication had come from a senior executive.
The message instructed the employee to transfer ₹1 crore into a specified bank account. Believing that the instruction had come from the company’s CMD, the complainant transferred ₹50 lakh from the company’s account. He subsequently realised that the communication was fraudulent and approached the Central Cyber Police Station in Faridabad.
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Who Are the Arrested Accused?
During the investigation, police arrested six individuals identified as Ajay and Adnan Khan, both residents of Mumbai, and Avinash, Nasir, Jayarvan and Rizwan, all residents of Gujarat. Investigators alleged that the accused played different roles in arranging and operating the bank account used to receive the money.
Police said Ajay, Nasir and Adnan had studied up to Class 10, while Avinash was a graduate and Jayarvan held a master’s degree. Ajay reportedly worked in hardware supply, Avinash in medical supply and Jayarvan in property dealing. These details emerged during questioning as investigators examined the accused persons’ backgrounds and alleged involvement in the transaction.
How Was the Bank Account Used?
Police alleged that Ajay established a firm named Ajay Manpower and opened a bank account in its name. The account was subsequently passed to Nasir, who allegedly handed it over to Avinash. Investigators said Avinash then transferred control of the account to Jayarvan, who shared access with fraudsters through Telegram.
According to police, Adnan had opened the firm’s current account, while Rizwan had access to the account and allegedly operated it from a hotel while facilitating the fraud. Investigators said the entire ₹50 lakh obtained through the fraudulent WhatsApp instruction was deposited into this account.
What Action Have Police Taken?
Following the complaint, Faridabad police investigated the suspected impersonation and traced the account used to receive the transferred funds. The investigation led to the arrests of the six accused and the examination of their alleged roles in the movement and operation of the account.
Police said five mobile phones were recovered from the accused. All six were produced before a local court and remanded to judicial custody. The available information does not establish whether the defrauded money has been recovered.
The420 Insight
The case highlights the risks of accepting financial instructions through messaging applications without independently confirming the sender’s identity. A familiar profile photograph does not establish that a message genuinely comes from a company executive. Businesses should verify unusual payment requests through established communication channels, particularly when substantial funds are involved.
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