Vadodara Cyber Cell Cracks Down on Multi-Crore Online Fraud Scheme
Arrests follow a trail of deceit spanning across 23 states with transactions amounting to over 22 crores
The Vadodara Cyber Cell has apprehended yet another key individual linked to a prolific online fraud ring operating from a secluded village in Madhya Pradesh. The arrest is the latest in a series of actions that spotlight a criminal network involved in defrauding people of crores of rupees through online schemes.
The case came into limelight after Vadodara engineer Jitendra Badgujar lodged a complaint regarding a fraudulent online task that resulted in a personal loss of Rs 21.97 lakh. This propelled a meticulous investigation by the Vadodara Cyber Cell, resulting in the earlier arrest of six individuals, including MBA graduate Jigar Shukla, who was apprehended in Ahmedabad.
During the interrogations, it became apparent that the syndicate engaged in bank fraud by crafting false forms to obtain SIM cards, which were then dispatched abroad, following directives from fraudsters based in Dubai and China. The sophisticated operation has purportedly facilitated over 300 fraudulent activities across 23 Indian states. Within a period of merely three to four months, transactions amounting to a massive Rs 22 crore were recorded, triggering an intensified police investigation into the expansive scheme.
Through diligent investigative work, the cyber cell traced Rs 2.90 lakh of the misappropriated funds from Badgujar to a Mumbai bank account. This revelation led to the arrest of Ravi Ishwarlal Solanki, a resident of Maddesaur in Madhya Pradesh. Solanki reportedly confessed to opening the bank account lured by the promise of commissions. Subsequent to his arrest, he has been placed on remand and incarcerated.
In a startling development, it has been disclosed that transactions exceeding Rs 4.36 crore had occurred through the bank account opened by Solanki. This substantial figure underscores the vast extent of the fraud operation and sets a foreboding undertone to the ongoing investigation.
Authorities continue to work tirelessly, unraveling the layers of deceit shrouding the criminal enterprise, as they edge closer to unmasking the full scale and reach of this duplicitous network. The public is urged to remain cautious of online fraud schemes as the investigation carries on, shedding light on a dark underbelly of cybercrime that exploits unsuspecting individuals through well-orchestrated online traps.
