Delhi Police nabs Mewat-based cyber thugs for duping GST inspector

New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) The Delhi Police have arrested two cyber thugs, including a B.Sc graduate, based in Mewat for allegedly cheating a GST Inspector of more than Rs one lakh, an official said on Tuesday.

The thugs impersonated the victim's brother-in-law and convinced him to transfer money from his bank account, claiming it was for sending LIC funds, the official added.

The accused, identified as Raghvendra Sharma (22), a resident of Sabalgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Surender (27), a resident of Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, had been operating from Haryana and Rajasthan border of Mewat region to evade arrest.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (North), Sagar Singh Kalsi, said that a complaint was received at the Cyber North police station through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal wherein the complainant Kishan Bhardwaj, a resident of Burari, said that someone had cheated him for Rs 1,45,000 as the alleged person impersonated as his brother-in-law and on the pretext of sending LIC funds, got money transferred from his accounts.

During investigation, through technical analysis of the money trail, it came to notice that of the total cheated amount, Rs 95,000 had been transferred to an account of Axis Bank, which was registered with an address in Morena (Madhya Pradesh), and the money was being withdrawn through ATMs in the Mewat region.

"Also, the calling location of the alleged mobile number was in the Mewat region. The accused has withdrawn most of the money from different ATMs. The details of the mobile phone linked to the account were sought and the mobile phone was put under surveillance," the DCP added.

"After a brief hiatus, the accused Raghvendra and Surender were arrested and according to a sudden police operation, incriminating material from them was recovered," said the official.

On questioning, it was revealed that Raghvendra used to earlier work in Bangalore but in search of a better life came to Rajasthan where he along with the co-accused Surender started to arrange SIM cards and bank accounts for cyber criminals of the Mewat region and therefore acted as conduits.

"None of the accused has any permanent residence in Rajasthan. Their questioning revealed that they would supply bank accounts and SIM cards to their associate Taufiq of Mewat who is presently absconding. They further disclosed that till now they have arranged 30 SIM cards and 20 bank accounts to their associates which were being used to commit cyber frauds," the official added.

"Further search of the accused who is absconding in the case is underway and efforts are being made to nab him at the earliest," the DCP said.