Etawah police have dismantled an interstate cyber fraud network accused of cheating more than 500 people out of crores of rupees through online gaming and betting applications. Four key operatives were arrested in a joint operation carried out by the Civil Lines police station, the Special Operations Group, and local surveillance units. Investigators stated that the group operated for eight to ten months, targeting rural residents to secure personal identification documents that were subsequently used to facilitate illicit electronic transactions.
The suspects have been identified as Anshul alias Hansu Tiwari and Rakhi Ranawat from Etawah, Ankit Mishra from Mainpuri, and Mohit from Auraiya. Initial findings indicate that the gang extracted official records from villagers by promising cash commissions for assistance in opening bank accounts and procuring mobile SIM cards. These accounts were then commandeered to route betting funds, shield the masterminds, and distribute cash withdrawals made across various automated teller machines.
Mule Accounts and Commission Offers Used to Route Funds
The syndicate systematically targeted unsuspecting villagers, convincing them to surrender their credentials under the pretext of earning commission fees. Once the necessary paperwork was collected, the accused opened multiple bank accounts and acquired active SIM cards in the victims’ names without disclosing the actual intent.
These mule accounts served as financial transit routes for operations run across multiple gaming platforms. Stolen funds deposited into these accounts were withdrawn through debit cards and shared among syndicate members or dispersed into secondary accounts to obscure the transaction trail. Law enforcement agencies are currently auditing the seized ledgers and transaction histories to assess the total monetary scale of the operation.
Electronics, Debit Cards, and Vehicles Recovered in Raids
During the arrests, the joint police team confiscated 16 mobile phones, 42 ATM and debit cards, six fake SIM cards, a laptop, multiple cheque books, and bank passbooks. Officers also recovered identity documents belonging to third parties, a register detailing ongoing transactions, and two vehicles believed to have been purchased using money generated through the racket.
Digital forensics specialists are reviewing the contents of the seized mobile devices and laptop to map out the financial network and trace external conduits. The probe is focused on identifying additional accomplices who aided in cash withdrawals and detecting other shell accounts linked to the enterprise.
Police Move to Invoke Gangster Act and Attach Assets
Investigators revealed that the group adopted an evasive operational pattern, temporarily halting transactions whenever administrative scrutiny intensified or complaints reached local police desks. Activities were resumed only after law enforcement attention waned, allowing the network to stay operational for several months.
Authorities have initiated legal steps to invoke the Uttar Pradesh Gangster Act against the four accused, which will enable the attachment and seizure of properties acquired through illicit proceeds. Senior officials announced a cash reward of ₹20,000 for the police personnel who executed the operation, while further investigations continue to determine whether the total victim count exceeds the 500 individuals identified so far.
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