The Cyber Crime Police have arrested a man for allegedly defrauding a contractor through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal and diverting ₹31.34 lakh into his own bank account. The accused allegedly posed as a government broker and gained the contractor’s trust by claiming that he could arrange OEM authorisation codes required to sell products through GeM. After gaining the contractor’s confidence, he allegedly obtained the login ID and password of the contractor’s GeM account and changed the beneficiary bank account details.
According to the police, the arrested accused has been identified as Nilesh Kumar Ahirwar, 33, a resident of Kotra Sultanabad, Kamla Nagar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Police recovered an Android mobile phone and a SIM card allegedly used in the transactions. Investigators are now examining his bank accounts and the movement of the money received through the alleged fraud.
Posed as Government Broker to Gain Trust
According to the investigation, Ahirwar approached the complainant and introduced himself as a government broker. He allegedly claimed to have good contacts with representatives of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) companies registered on the GeM portal.
The accused allegedly told the contractor that he could arrange OEM authorisation codes required for selling products of different brands through the government procurement platform. In return, he allegedly sought a commission for providing the codes.
Police said the accused initially supplied several authorisation codes to the complainant. The codes were reportedly found to be valid, which strengthened the contractor’s confidence in him. Taking advantage of this trust, the accused allegedly persuaded the complainant to share the login ID and password of the GeM account so that he could operate the portal on the contractor’s behalf.
Bank Details Allegedly Changed After Login Access
After obtaining the login credentials, the accused allegedly accessed the contractor’s GeM account and changed the beneficiary bank account details registered on the portal.
According to the investigation, the contractor’s genuine bank account was allegedly replaced with the accused’s personal bank account. As a result, payments generated through the GeM portal for the contractor allegedly began getting credited to the accused’s account.
Police said the accused received a total of ₹31,34,612 through the alleged manipulation of the beneficiary account details.
Police Probe Withdrawal and Further Transfers
Investigators have also found that the money received in the accused’s account was allegedly withdrawn for personal use and that some of the funds were transferred to other bank accounts. Police are now tracing the complete movement of the ₹31.34 lakh to determine how much was withdrawn, where the remaining money was transferred and who ultimately benefited from the transactions.
A case was registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station after the complaint was received. During the investigation, digital evidence and banking transactions were examined, leading police to the alleged involvement of Ahirwar. He was subsequently arrested.
Mobile Phone and Digital Network Under Scrutiny
The mobile phone and SIM card recovered from the accused are now part of the investigation. Police are examining the device to establish how the accused communicated with the complainant and whether other individuals were involved in the alleged operation.
Investigators are also scrutinising the accused’s bank accounts, including deposits, withdrawals and transfers to other accounts. The probe will examine whether the same method was allegedly used to target other GeM users.
The case highlights the risks associated with sharing login credentials and financial information connected with government procurement accounts. Contractors and other GeM users need to independently verify the identity and role of intermediaries before granting access to their accounts.
As the investigation progresses, police are expected to trace the alleged financial network, identify any other individuals involved and determine the final beneficiaries of the money allegedly diverted through the manipulated GeM account.
