Meerut | In a significant crackdown on organised cybercrime, Meerut Police have busted a racket that exploited poor, uneducated and migrant workers to facilitate cyber fraud worth crores of rupees. The gang lured vulnerable people with small cash incentives, opened bank accounts in their names and then handed over those accounts to cyber fraud networks operating across multiple states.
Police have arrested three accused in the case, including one who is completely illiterate and uses only thumb impressions, and another who studied only up to Class IX. The arrests highlight how organised cybercrime networks increasingly rely on social and economic vulnerability to build large-scale financial fraud operations.
The arrested accused have been identified as Ajay Kumar, a resident of Haldwani Kulesara in Gautam Buddh Nagar, Kuldeep, a resident of Jattari under Tappal police station in Aligarh, and Dinesh Kumar, a resident of Gonda village under Gonda police station, Aligarh. The trio was arrested on Thursday morning from the Mall Road area by the Cyber Crime Police Station, with assistance from Lalkurti police, when they had reportedly arrived to meet another criminal associate.
Fake Accounts Opened Under Cover of Jan Seva Kendra
Addressing a press conference at the police lines, SP (Crime) Avnish Kumar said that Ajay Kumar operated a Jan Seva Kendra, which he used as a front to open bank accounts in the names of poor and rural residents. Victims were offered ₹1,000 in cash in return for opening accounts, without being informed of how those accounts would be used.
Kuldeep and Dinesh acted as field operatives, identifying vulnerable individuals—mostly daily wage workers and villagers—and bringing them to Ajay. Once the accounts were opened, the passbooks, ATM cards and SIM cards were retained by the accused, effectively giving them full control over the accounts.
These accounts were then supplied to cyber fraud gangs operating in different parts of the country, which used them to receive money obtained through online scams, phishing calls and fraudulent transactions. During interrogation, the accused admitted that 29 bank accounts had been opened using this method.
52 Cyber Fraud FIRs Linked to the Accounts
Police investigations have revealed that transactions routed through these accounts have resulted in more than 52 FIRs being registered so far. Of these, 39 complaints are from various districts across Uttar Pradesh, while multiple cases have also been registered at Delhi Gate and Railway Road police stations in Meerut.
Investigators said the accused also arranged SIM cards using the same poor individuals’ documents, which were then used to make fraudulent phone calls. In a common modus operandi, victims were contacted and falsely told that extra money had been mistakenly credited to their accounts, after which they were manipulated into transferring funds back—resulting in financial losses.
Cash, Register and Mobile Phones Seized
During the arrest, police recovered a register containing details of bank accounts, ₹15,000 in cash, and three mobile phones from the accused. The register reportedly contains names of account holders, transaction details and contact numbers, and is being treated as a crucial piece of evidence in mapping the wider cyber fraud network.
₹86,950 Recovered and Returned to Victim
In a related development, police also succeeded in recovering ₹86,950 and returning it to a cyber fraud victim. Pallavpuram Inspector Ramesh Chandra Sharma said that on December 8, Ashwani Pal, a resident of Palheda, had reported a cyber fraud of ₹1,01,933 involving his credit card.
Following prompt action by the cyber help desk and coordination with banks, most of the defrauded amount was successfully traced and refunded to the victim.
Probe Continues, More Arrests Likely
Police officials said the gang appears to be linked to an inter-state cybercrime network, and further arrests are likely as forensic analysis of seized mobile phones and bank records continues.
The police have appealed to the public not to share bank accounts, ATM cards or SIM cards with anyone, and to immediately report cyber fraud incidents through the 1930 national helpline or at the nearest police station.
