The Noida Cyber Crime police have cracked a high-value investment fraud and arrested two youths from Hapur for their alleged role in siphoning off ₹5.60 crore from a city-based woman. The accused, both residents of Meerut, allegedly allowed their bank accounts to be used to receive the proceeds of the scam. The mastermind, identified as Charanjit, remains on the run and is the focus of an intensified police manhunt.
WhatsApp group used to project ‘expert advice’, early profits shown to build trust
According to the FIR lodged on October 30, the woman was added by an unknown number to a WhatsApp group that purported to offer specialised stock market insights. The group’s admin, posing as a seasoned investment expert, shared daily tips on equities, IPOs, and global markets.
Over the next several days, the victim was shown small, quick gains on fake trading dashboards in order to gain her confidence. Once trust was established, she was persuaded to make “larger, time-sensitive” investments promising extraordinary returns.
Acting on the group’s instructions, she transferred a total of ₹5.60 crore to multiple bank accounts. When she sought to withdraw her so-called profits, the group administrators stopped responding and soon disappeared. Realising she had been duped, she approached the Noida Cyber Crime police.
Two arrested from Hapur; transactions traced across multiple accounts
During the investigation, cyber sleuths traced the money trail and found that significant portions of the defrauded amount had been routed into the bank accounts of Sahab Singh and Neeraj Kumar of Meerut. Acting on technical surveillance and local intelligence, the police conducted a raid in Hapur on Friday and arrested both men.
Key findings include:
- ₹65.27 lakh was transferred directly into Sahab Singh’s account
- Neeraj Kumar’s account acted as a secondary channel to pass money to the kingpin
- The National Cyber Reporting Portal (NCRP) showed 22 previous complaints linked to Sahab Singh’s credentials
Police have also seized the mobile phones used in the crime. These devices will undergo detailed forensic examination to uncover chat logs, contact networks, and possible links to interstate cyber-fraud syndicates.
Accused worked as ‘account mules’, earned hefty commissions
Interrogation of the suspects revealed that both acted as account mules, offering their bank accounts for use by the cyber fraud syndicate in exchange for significant commissions.
A typical money flow pattern emerged:
- 1. The victim’s funds first entered Sahab Singh’s account
- 2. Sahab withdrew or transferred the money to Neeraj
- 3. Neeraj then handed it over—sometimes in cash—to the gang leader Charanjit
- 4. Each stage of the chain earned a percentage-based commission
Investigators said the gang operates in a structured hierarchy, often using unsuspecting, unemployed youth to launder large amounts of money across states.
Mastermind Charanjit declared absconding; multi-state search teams deployed
Police have officially declared Charanjit an absconder. According to senior officers, the kingpin is technologically savvy and frequently switches devices, numbers, and VPN locations to evade detection. Dedicated teams have been deployed across Uttar Pradesh, Delhi–NCR, Haryana, and Punjab to track him down.
Educated but unemployed youth drawn into cybercrime
Police revealed that:
- Sahab Singh is a graduate
- Neeraj Kumar has completed intermediate school
Both struggled to find stable employment and were gradually drawn into the cyber fraud network with the promise of “easy earnings” and fast cash. Police suspect that Sahab Singh may have recruited several other local youths to provide bank accounts to the syndicate.
Police advisory: Beware of high-return WhatsApp and Telegram investment groups
Authorities have urged the public to remain cautious of:
- Unverified WhatsApp/Telegram groups promising investment advice
- Claims of guaranteed or unusually high returns
- Persons or apps seeking funds via unfamiliar bank accounts
Officials said that in nearly 80% of such investment-fraud cases, scammers initially display fake profits to create trust and then coax victims into investing large sums.
