The Special Task Force (STF) of Uttarakhand, in collaboration with the Cyber Crime Police Stations of Dehradun and Rudrapur, arrested Mohammad Rizwan, son of Bundu, the alleged kingpin of a nationwide cyber fraud network. He was nabbed from the Patelnagar area of Dehradun following a technical surveillance-led operation.
Rizwan allegedly defrauded victims across India by promoting fake investment schemes under the guise of a legitimate firm — ABANS Brokerage Services Pvt. Ltd. The fraudulent scheme operated by creating WhatsApp groups with names such as 055Abans, 051Abans, and 054Abans Market Mentors, where fake screenshots of lucrative trading profits were circulated to lure unsuspecting individuals.
ALSO READ: FCRF Launches Campus Ambassador Program to Empower India’s Next-Gen Cyber Defenders
Fake App, False Profits: How the ABANS Scam Worked
Victims were directed to download a fake mobile app named “ABANS Pro”, where they were shown fabricated trading dashboards and fake profit margins to gain trust. Once the victims invested their money, they were led to believe their investments were growing through manipulated data. However, when users attempted to withdraw the supposed profits, communication was abruptly cut off.
According to officials, one complainant alone was duped of ₹38.55 lakh, while transactions worth over ₹2 crore are under investigation, all traced back to the same racket. These transactions occurred between January and April 2025, indicating a rapid and widespread operation within a short period.
On arresting Rizwan, police recovered:
- 2 mobile phones
- 6 SIM cards
- 3 debit cards
- 1 Aadhaar card
- 1 PAN card
- 1 fake company seal
These items were reportedly used to operate accounts and facilitate fraudulent transactions.
Nationwide Network and Multiple FIRs
Further investigation revealed that 13 separate cybercrime cases have been registered against Rizwan in seven states, including Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Uttarakhand. The West Bengal Police had already issued an instant warrant against him prior to this arrest.
The operation was conducted by a joint team comprising Inspector Sharad Chaudhary, ASI Vinod Bisht, and constables Mohd. Usman, Vikas Rawat, Vikas Bhardwaj, Manoj Beniwal, Shadab Ali, Mahesh Uniyal, and Abhishek Bhatt under the leadership of SSP STF Shri Navneet Singh.
Shri Navneet Singh has urged the public to remain vigilant against high-return investment offers received through unknown sources, WhatsApp groups, YouTube videos, or Telegram channels. In case of suspected cyber fraud, citizens are advised to immediately call the 1930 cybercrime helpline or visit the nearest cyber police station.