Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has uncovered a Rs 9 crore cyber fraud involving the joint bank account of Shanghai Urban Construction Corporation (SUCC) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T). Two individuals, including an assistant manager of Axis Bank and a cyber fraudster, have been arrested in connection with the case.
The accused have been identified as Ashish Khandelwal, an assistant bank manager, and Nitin Birmal, a resident of Pune. According to police officials, Ashish provided confidential bank documents and account details to the fraudsters, which were then used to gain access to the company’s account through online banking and siphon off funds.
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Additional Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing), Amrita Guguloth, stated that Axis Bank branch head Gaurav Sharma had filed a complaint in August 2024, reporting the fraudulent transaction. The SUCC and L&T had jointly opened the account back in 2008. In June 2024, the bank received an email, allegedly from a company employee, requesting to change the phone number and email linked to the account. Based on the documents submitted, the changes were made.
Subsequently, in July 2024, a request to activate net banking was processed. Between July and August 2024, Rs 9 crore was fraudulently withdrawn. Investigation revealed that the new phone number was registered in the name of Nitin Birmal. A police raid in Pune led to his arrest, followed by the arrest of Ashish Khandelwal from Uttam Nagar, Delhi.
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The accused manager admitted to providing all necessary information to the fraudsters and facilitating the digital theft. Police are now on the lookout for other accomplices involved in the scam.