Ahmedabad | In a shocking case of cyber fraud from Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, two accused allegedly impersonated senior officials from the Ministry of Finance and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to cheat a victim of approximately ₹47.36 lakh. The Cyber Crime Branch has arrested the two accused—Sumit Kumar and Ashu Agrawal—from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. Investigators say the fraud was not a one-off incident but a carefully orchestrated scheme that continued for nearly four years.
According to officials, the victim was first contacted in April 2022 and was repeatedly approached through different mobile numbers until March 2026. The accused claimed that ₹10 lakh linked to an LIC policy had been deposited in a government account and could be released after completing certain formalities. Using this pretext, they extracted money from the victim under various heads such as taxes, stamp duty, and processing fees.
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The investigation has revealed that the accused operated the fraud in a highly organised and professional manner. They not only made fraudulent claims but also set up an elaborate system to sustain the deception. Bank accounts were opened in the victim’s name in institutions such as ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank. Additionally, a SIM card was issued in the victim’s name and sent to Delhi, allowing the accused to maintain control over communication and financial transactions.
To gain the victim’s trust, the accused created fake identity cards, forged Aadhaar documents, and fabricated official-looking paperwork. These were shared through WhatsApp and email, making the operation appear legitimate. The accused also used multiple aliases, posing as different officials across departments, reinforcing the illusion that the victim was dealing with an authentic government-backed process.
Investigators have identified Sumit Kumar as the key operator of the racket. He had previously worked as a telecaller in call centres in Noida and Ghaziabad, where he likely acquired the skills used in executing the scam. Ashu Agrawal, on the other hand, played a crucial supporting role by supplying SIM cards used in the fraud. He allegedly procured and distributed 15 to 20 SIM cards at inflated prices and, in several cases, misused customers’ Aadhaar details and biometric data to activate SIMs without their knowledge.
Further findings indicate that the accused used a “recovery scam” tactic—targeting the victim multiple times by claiming that previously lost money could be retrieved. They even convinced the victim that around ₹1.48 crore was pending with NPCI and would soon be transferred, thereby extracting additional payments under various pretexts.
Using technical surveillance and human intelligence inputs, the Cyber Crime team traced the accused to Modinagar in Ghaziabad and carried out a raid, leading to their arrest. Officials believe that Sumit Kumar has been involved in similar cyber fraud activities since 2020 and has repeatedly reused data from past victims to target new individuals.
Renowned cyber crime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh explains, “In such cases, cyber criminals rely heavily on social engineering to build trust. By invoking the names of government institutions, they create a false sense of legitimacy, making it easier to manipulate victims.”
Authorities are now expanding the investigation to identify other victims and uncover the full extent of the network. Digital evidence and banking trails are being closely examined to map the operation and trace additional accomplices.
This case serves as a strong reminder of the risks associated with unsolicited communications claiming to represent government bodies. Experts advise citizens to verify any financial claims independently and avoid sharing sensitive information or making payments without proper authentication. Prompt reporting of suspicious activities remains crucial in preventing such organised cyber frauds.
