Basti: An interstate cyber fraud gang allegedly involved in luring people with easy loan offers and later blackmailing them with morphed obscene photographs has been busted by Basti Police and the district cyber cell. Four members of the alleged gang have been arrested, while three others remain on the run. Police recovered seven mobile phones, seven newly issued fake SIM cards and three motorcycles from the arrested accused.
Police Trace Suspects Through Pratibimb Portal
According to police, surveillance of suspicious activities had been intensified as part of the ongoing campaign against cybercrime. Investigators developed leads through the Pratibimb portal and local intelligence inputs, following which a joint team of Kotwali Police and the district cyber cell launched an operation.
The team surrounded the accused at Dhobi Ghat in Amahat on Thursday and arrested four of them.
Four Accused Arrested, Three Still Wanted
The arrested accused have been identified as Basti residents Pradyumn Chaurasia, Nikhil Singh, Gaurav Singh and Afroz. Chaurasia is 25 years old, while Nikhil Singh, Gaurav Singh and Afroz are 19, 18 and 19 respectively.
Police have declared Lucky Singh, Ashwani Singh and Piyush Singh wanted in the case and are conducting searches to trace them.
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Easy Loan Offers Allegedly Used to Access Victims’ Phones
The investigation has revealed that the alleged gang used social media and messaging platforms to approach potential victims. They allegedly offered quick and hassle-free loans and persuaded targets to open links or follow instructions sent by the fraudsters.
Police said the process allegedly enabled the accused to gain access to victims’ mobile phone galleries and contact lists.
Morphed Photos Allegedly Used for Online Blackmail
Once photographs were obtained, the gang allegedly began the next stage of the operation.
According to investigators, the accused digitally altered victims’ photographs to make them appear obscene and objectionable. The victims were then allegedly threatened with the circulation of these images among their friends, relatives and other contacts unless they paid money.
The gang is suspected of exploiting the fear of social embarrassment to extort money from victims.
Cyber Fraud Complaints Traced Across Eight States
The investigation has so far linked the alleged gang to 12 complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Victims have been traced to several states, including Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The geographical spread of the complaints indicates that investigators are examining an interstate cyber fraud network.
Gang May Have Collected ₹12–15 Lakh
Police said the complaints examined so far show forced payments totalling ₹35,725.
However, during questioning, the arrested accused allegedly disclosed that the gang may have collected between ₹12 lakh and ₹15 lakh from different victims over time.
Police are examining bank accounts, digital transactions and evidence recovered from mobile devices to determine the actual amount allegedly extorted and identify additional victims.
Fake SIM Cards Used to Continue Fraud Operations
Pradyumn Chaurasia allegedly played a key role in supplying SIM cards to the gang.
According to police, he allegedly told investigators that he had previously supplied 30 to 40 SIM cards to the other members. Whenever a number was blocked following complaints, the gang allegedly replaced it with a new SIM card to continue its operations and evade detection.
Seven newly issued SIM cards were recovered during the operation.
Accused Intercepted While Collecting New SIM Cards
Police said the four accused had gathered at Dhobi Ghat in Amahat on Thursday to obtain another batch of fake SIM cards when the joint team intercepted them.
Seven mobile phones and three motorcycles were also recovered from the accused.
A case has been registered at Kotwali Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act and the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
Police Warn Against Unsolicited Loan Offers
Police have advised people to remain cautious about unsolicited loan offers and avoid responding to suspicious messages or clicking on unknown links.
People should also be careful before granting applications or websites access to their photographs, contacts, files and other sensitive information.
Anyone facing cyber fraud or online blackmail has been advised to immediately report the matter through the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Investigation Continues Into Wider Cyber Fraud Network
The investigation is continuing, with police searching for the three absconding accused and examining the alleged gang’s wider network and other possible victims.
Investigators are also analysing digital devices, financial transactions and SIM-card records to determine whether the arrested suspects are connected to additional cybercrime cases.
About the author — Ananya Aradhya writes on cybercrime, fraud, scams, cybersecurity, digital safety, and emerging threats. Her work also covers major criminal cases, financial frauds, consumer scams, and stories that highlight risks affecting people in the real and digital world.
