The Navi Mumbai Police Crime Branch has busted a nationwide online fraud racket operating through the banned ‘Reddy Anna’ gaming app and arrested a 22-year-old man for allegedly opening dozens of fake bank accounts used in large-scale financial scams.
Accused Nabbed Near CBD Belapur Railway Station
The accused, identified as Imran Usmani Minhaj Shaikh, a resident of Nerul Sector-18, allegedly opened 60 to 70 bogus bank accounts for cyber fraudsters involved in money laundering through the illegal gaming platform.
Police have also launched a search for two suspected masterminds identified as Harish from Dombivli and Sumit from Bengaluru.
According to officials, Shaikh was detained around 1:30 am on October 14 near CBD Belapur railway station after being spotted loitering suspiciously by Head Constable Rahul Pawar from the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). Further inquiry revealed his link to online gaming frauds and money transfers connected to the banned app.
Fake Bank Accounts Used for Laundering Gaming Funds
Investigations revealed that Shaikh lured acquaintances from the Nerul–CBD area with promises of commission-based work, persuading them to open bank accounts in their names.
For each account, Shaikh received ₹15,000, of which ₹5,000 was paid to the account holder while he kept the remaining amount. He then forwarded the account details, ATM cards, cheque books, and SIM cards to Harish and Sumit through a delivery app.
The fake accounts were used to channel money collected through the ‘Reddy Anna’ app, which facilitated large-scale financial fraud and gambling transactions, police said.
FIR Registered; Hunt On for Masterminds
An FIR has been registered against Imran Shaikh, Harish, Sumit, and others under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — Sections 318(4) and 3(5), along with IT Act Sections 66(C) and 66(D), Maharashtra Gambling Act Sections 4 and 5, and the Online Gaming Act.
Police said efforts are underway to trace the remaining accused and uncover the full extent of the racket operating across multiple states.
