Mumbai Police recently uncovered a major cyber fraud network that provided bank accounts to fraudsters operating from foreign countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, China, and Malaysia. Acting on a tip-off, officers raided two companies, DJ Search Consultancy and Pririt Logistics Private Limited, located in Kandivali East on August 13. Five individuals—Vaibhav Patil, Sunil Kumar Paswan, Aman Kumar Gautam, Khushboo Sandarjula, and Ritesh Bandekar—were arrested during the raids. Police seized two laptops, a printer, 25 mobile phones, 25 bank passbooks, 30 cheque books, 46 debit cards, and 104 SIM cards as evidence.
How the Racket Worked: Exploiting Slum Residents’ Documents
Authorities revealed the accused recruited slum dwellers by paying them to share their identity documents. Using these, they opened 943 bank accounts in the names of these unsuspecting individuals. The gang then took control of these accounts and lent them to cyber-fraud syndicates overseas, who used them to park the proceeds of various fraudulent activities. The racket charged a commission for this illegal service. These cybercrime operations included digital arrests, online shopping fraud, and online trading frauds.
Scope of Fraud and Financial Impact
Further investigation disclosed that 339 of these accounts have been reported on the cybercrime portal. Police estimated that the fraudulent bank accounts were used to route approximately ₹60 crore in illicit funds across India. This includes ₹1.67 crore diverted specifically from Mumbai and ₹10 crore from other parts of Maharashtra. Authorities continue to probe the extent of the racket and are working to identify and block other fraudulent accounts linked to this network.
The bust highlights the ongoing challenge cybercrime poses to India’s financial system, especially how fraudsters exploit vulnerable individuals to facilitate sophisticated money laundering schemes. This case serves as a reminder for vigilantly monitoring digital banking activities and safeguarding personal identity documents.
Mumbai Police pledged to intensify efforts to dismantle such criminal arrangements and bolster cybersecurity measures to protect citizens and financial institutions.
ADVISORY FOR READERS
If you encounter or suspect any online investment fraud or cybercrime, immediately report it by calling the Cyber Crime Helpline at 1903 or contact your local police station. Stay vigilant and protect your personal and financial information.