Mandsaur Police Bust Interstate Cyber Fraud Gang Linked To ₹11 Crore Scams, Six Arrested

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Mandsaur police have busted an interstate cyber fraud network and arrested six cyber fraudsters, including the kingpin, from Rajasthan and Bihar.

Police said the gang used more than 150 mule bank accounts and SIM cards to carry out over 150 cyber fraud incidents involving more than Rs 11 crore.

Police seized 22 Android mobile phones, 30 SIM cards and five ATM cards from the suspects. More than Rs 8 lakh deposited in various bank accounts has also been frozen.

The gang targeted victims through matrimonial websites. In one case, a woman from Shamgarh was contacted by a suspect posing as an NRI. He allegedly promised to marry her and gained her confidence through fake photographs and WhatsApp conversations involving purported family members.

The suspect later claimed that a gift sent from abroad had been detained by customs officials. The woman was asked to pay customs duty and processing charges into different bank accounts. She transferred Rs 7.5 lakh before realising she had been cheated.

Shamgarh police registered a case and launched an investigation. Mandsaur SP Vinod Kumar Meena said a special team conducted a nearly two-month-long analysis of technical evidence, digital communications and banking transactions.

Based on the investigation, police conducted raids in Jaipur and arrested several suspects. Further leads led police to Arwal district in Bihar, where another gang member and the alleged kingpin were arrested.

Police said most of the SIM cards used by the network were procured from Agra, Firozabad, Delhi and Bihar, while some SIM cards and bank accounts were obtained from Bhopal.

The gang members allegedly moved between states to withdraw money and changed locations frequently. When accounts were frozen, they allegedly destroyed phones, SIM cards, passbooks and ATM cards and switched to new accounts and SIMs.