A Delhi University student’s ₹6,500 online shopping fraud complaint led police to an alleged ₹30 crore cybercrime network.
How Did an Online Shopping Order Lead to Fraud?
The investigation began in June when Fatima, a second-year student at Delhi University’s Ramjas College, encountered an Instagram advertisement for Kavya Kurti, an online seller of women’s clothing. After selecting a kurta, she was redirected to WhatsApp to complete the purchase. She placed an order worth ₹799 and paid ₹400 in advance through a QR code.
However, the seller subsequently demanded additional payments. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Niharika Bhatt, Fatima was asked to pay ₹1,150 as a refundable charge for generating a code, followed by payments of ₹2,000, ₹2,650 and ₹650. Despite making the payments, she neither received the clothing nor obtained a refund. After discovering that she had lost ₹6,500, Fatima approached the Cyber Police.
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How Did Police Trace the Suspected Network?
The investigation, led by ACP Vishesh Dhatterwal and Additional DCP Ram Dulesh Meena, followed the payment trail from the student’s transaction. Police traced the money through Pine Labs Merchant to a Canara Bank account belonging to Kizentech Solutions Pvt. Ltd., based in Greater Noida. The account was linked to Aditya Mishra and Udit Pratap Singh Bhadauriya.
Investigators also examined online orders associated with the suspected WhatsApp number and identified a Greater Noida address. A raid at the premises led to the arrest of six men: Aditya Mishra, Ayush Verma, Abhishek Pal, Himanshu Rana, Rahul Kumar and Gaurav Pandey.
Police identified three suspected firms operating from rented premises: Kizentech Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Executive Edge and Nexcore. Mobile phones, SIM cards, banking documents and electronic devices were recovered.
What Roles Did the Accused Allegedly Play?
Police described the accused as educated individuals with technical knowledge. Investigators identified Gaurav Pandey, who holds a BBA degree, as the alleged mastermind.
According to police, Aditya Mishra, Udit Pratap Singh Bhadauriya, Ayush Verma and Abhishek Pal established fake companies and opened current bank accounts. The account details were allegedly supplied to Himanshu Rana and Rahul Kumar in exchange for monthly payments of ₹25,000. Investigators said Rana and Rahul subsequently passed banking documents and account kits to Pandey, who supplied them to entities identified as Maxwell and Solitaire for commissions.
Further investigation led to Bhadauriya’s arrest in Kanpur on October 10, bringing the total number of arrests to seven.
How Was the ₹30 Crore Fraud Uncovered?
Police subsequently established that the alleged network involved three shell companies used to receive and route proceeds from cyber fraud. Investigators linked the companies to approximately ₹30 crore in suspected fraudulent transactions, significantly expanding the scope of the original shopping fraud complaint.
The investigation highlights how a relatively small online shopping complaint led authorities to uncover an alleged network involving shell companies, bank accounts and intermediaries used to move suspected cybercrime proceeds.
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