12 held for duping people, aiding Cambodia-based cybercriminals

According to police officials, the arrests followed an investigation into a cheating case filed by a 74-year-old South Mumbai resident, who was swindled Rs 1 lakh under the guise of a high-return investment scheme. The investigation has also revealed that the accused are involved in multiple similar cases across Delhi, Kolkata, Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Kolhapur, Mumbai, and Gujarat.

An officer stated, “We have discovered that the accused opened bank accounts in their own names and recruited others to open accounts in exchange for commission. They then sent the account details and linked SIM cards to the masterminds, who used these accounts to deposit money obtained through fraudulent means.”

The police further disclosed that Singh, Kale, and Keshav had visited Cambodia, met the masterminds, and gained an understanding of the entire cyber fraud operation. Their specific role was to convert the illicit funds into cryptocurrency.

“The money obtained from cyber fraud was transferred through various bank accounts, converted into cryptocurrency, and then sent abroad,” the officer added.

Investigators have also uncovered details of nearly 110 bank accounts linked to the twelve arrested individuals, with approximately ₹30 crore deposited into these accounts. Additionally, the NCCRP (National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal) has received about 509 complaints from across the country, all involving money deposited into these accounts.