Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Invoke MCOCA Against Cyber Gang In ₹86 Lakh Trading App Fraud Case

Pimpri-Chinchwad: Pimpri-Chinchwad Police have invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against six suspected members of a cybercrime syndicate involved in cheating a senior citizen of ₹86 lakh through a fake trading app. The gang allegedly operated in contact with a key suspect based in Cambodia and transferred fraud proceeds into cryptocurrency, including Tether (USDT).

This is the second time Pimpri-Chinchwad Police have invoked MCOCA against a suspected cybercrime gang in 2026. The action was taken in October after investigators found that the suspects were allegedly part of an organised crime syndicate involved in financial fraud and other serious offences across Maharashtra and Gujarat. The police have also secured a court order to return ₹28 lakh to the complainant. The amount was frozen in bank accounts during the investigation.

Six Suspects Arrested From Five Locations

The case was registered at the Pimpri-Chinchwad Cyber Police Station on July 17, 2026, after a senior citizen reported losing ₹86 lakh through a fake trading app.

The police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act. Investigators traced the money through various bank accounts and questioned their holders to identify those allegedly involved in the fraud.

The police arrested six suspects from Pune, Latur, Ahilyanagar, Navi Mumbai and Hyderabad in Telangana.

The arrested suspects have been identified as Tejas Dnyanoba Lokhande, 24, from Pune; Avinash Dnyanoba Bakalikar, 28, from Latur; Harshal Dilip Bora, 34, from Ahilyanagar; Sonu Harish Sharma, 21, from Navi Mumbai; Alex alias Gaurav Ramesh Gadge, 24, from Mumbai; and Akhil Srinivasrao Nelluri, 24, from Hyderabad.

According to the police, the suspects remained in contact with the alleged main suspect based in Cambodia while carrying out the operations. Further investigation is underway to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate.

How The Alleged Cybercrime Syndicate Operated

According to the police, the suspects formed an organised crime syndicate to make money through cyber fraud. They allegedly used social media platforms to lure people with promises of high returns on stock market investments.

The gang members allegedly transferred the money received from victims into different bank accounts before converting it into virtual currency, including USDT. The police said the suspects used digital platforms and maintained contact with international criminals to carry out these transactions.

Investigators have also linked the alleged syndicate to offences such as fraud, kidnapping, extortion, robbery, drug trafficking and document forgery in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Gujarat.

The police said the gang members allegedly committed these offences collectively and individually to increase their influence and secure financial gains.

MCOCA Invoked Against The Gang

After examining the investigation records, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sarang Awad ordered the addition of Sections 3(1)(ii) and 3(4) of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999, to the case.

The provisions were invoked after investigators found evidence indicating that the suspects allegedly operated as an organised crime syndicate and were involved in repeated criminal activities for financial gain.

The investigation is being led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Rohini Bankar, who heads the Cyber and Economic Offences division.

The operation was carried out under the supervision of Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissioner Vinoy Kumar Choubey, Joint Commissioner of Police Shashikant Mahawarkar and senior officers of the Crime Branch and Cyber Police Station.