CHENNAI: In a significant development in cybercrime enforcement, four individuals originally from Uttar Pradesh were brought to Chennai on Tuesday for allegedly defrauding four Chennai residents of ₹48 lakh in an elaborate online trading scam.
The accused — Mohan Singh (33), Sanyam Jain (26), Harshavardhan Gupta (28), and Armaan (30) — were already lodged in a UP prison for a separate cybercrime case. Based on a warrant issued by a Chennai court and after obtaining the necessary permissions, West Zone Cyber Crime Police formally arrested them again and transported them to the city to face fresh charges.
International Cyber Network and Advanced Tools
Police investigations revealed a highly organised financial racket involving the creation of 153 mule bank accounts, each linked to unique mobile numbers. These accounts acted as conduits for siphoning the swindled funds. The illicit proceeds were quickly transferred through multiple accounts and converted into cryptocurrency and U.S. dollars before being withdrawn as Indian rupees, a technique used to obscure the digital money trail and hinder recovery.
Authorities said the network was being operated remotely using a mobile application named ‘Chinese Dragon,’ which enabled seamless fund transfers through API tools. This advanced setup allowed international collaborators to maintain real-time control of the operation from overseas, indicating links to cybercriminal syndicates in China.
Mastermind Tracked in Telangana Custody
Another accused, Rohan (28), believed to be the mastermind behind the Chennai scam, is currently under custody in Telangana for his role in a separate online fraud. He is suspected to have coordinated directly with foreign cybercrime operators and played a pivotal role in facilitating cross-border financial operations.
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The ongoing probe has linked the Chennai case to a larger cyber fraud network with multiple complaints registered through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal across various states in India. Officials are working in coordination with central agencies to trace the international leads and recover the siphoned assets.
This case underscores the evolving complexity of cyber financial crimes in India, highlighting the urgent need for stronger surveillance and international cooperation in digital crime enforcement.