Nagpur: In a significant breakthrough, Nagpur Rural Police dismantled a Kolkata-based gang of cyber fraudsters that duped over 160 Maharashtra residents in a nationwide scam. Operating since 2021, the gang lured victims into renting their land for mobile tower installations, promising hefty monthly returns. Police investigations revealed the gang pocketed crores, utilizing a network of rented bank accounts to mask their operations.
The nationwide scam left over 160 residents of Maharashtra conned by tele-callers, who would lure them to rent out land for erecting cell phone towers for hefty monthly returns. Another 90 individuals have come under police scanner for ‘renting’ out bank accounts to the tricksters, who pocketed crores, before being busted by Nagpur rural police after a four-month-long investigation.
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Thursday 09 Jan. 2025
The crackdown
A four-month-long investigation, spearheaded by Assistant SP Anil Mhaske of Saoner Division, culminated in a 40-day operation in Kolkata and its outskirts. The police team raided three call centres and arrested 40 individuals, including 14 men and 19 women. Over 100 mobile phones, 175 SIM cards, and Rs 7 crore spread across 65 bank accounts were frozen.
Key accused Alauddin Sheikh alias Shrimant Bacchhar, Pranab Mondal, Siddharth Das, Sourabh Chaki alias Deep Sen, and Monoranjan Maiti alias Babuda, all residents of West Bengal, are now lodged in Nagpur Central Jail. Another accomplice, Rabindra Chatterjee, remains at large.
Modus operandi
The gang used tele-callers to cold-call victims, primarily targeting landowners. They promised lucrative monthly rentals of ₹20,000-₹25,000, job offers for family members, and an immediate payout of ₹25 lakh upon signing fraudulent agreements. To gain trust, the scammers shared fake government certificates and company documents via PDFs.
Victims were further ensnared by local agents, Vaibhav Dawande and Kamlesh Gajbhiye, who approached economically vulnerable individuals in Saoner and Kalmeshwar. They rented bank accounts under the guise of collecting donations for an orphanage, paying account holders ₹4,000-₹5,000 monthly while misusing the accounts for high-value transactions.
Unravelling the racket
The scam came to light when Nagpur district bank customers raised alarms over suspicious transactions in their accounts. The investigation uncovered 130 bank accounts used by the gang, with total transactions exceeding ₹15 crore.
Through cyber surveillance, CCTV analysis, and technical expertise, police traced the gang’s activities to multiple Kolkata locations, including Salt Lake Sector V and New Town. Maiti, one of the key players, was identified withdrawing cash from ATMs immediately after deposits.
Lavish lifestyles exposed
The fraudsters invested heavily in properties and luxuries: Mondal purchased a ₹1 crore apartment in Kolkata’s New Town, a ₹20 lakh Mercedes, and made a ₹36 lakh fixed deposit in his father’s name. The gang leased a hotel in Darjeeling for ₹30 lakh annually and engaged in benami investments.
Police action and public advisory
Nagpur Rural Police filed a 4,200-page chargesheet and froze ₹7 crore in assets. SP (Rural) Harssh A Poddar emphasized the robust case built to ensure convictions and deter future scams.
The gang, which invested the money, created nationwide networks of bank customers whose accounts were rented out for a monthly return of around Rs 4,000-5,000, but transacted lakhs of rupees in them. “A watertight case is being built to ensure conviction and create deterrence,” said Poddar, adding fraudsters underestimated the expertise of rural police. “The racketeers used technology to mask their footprint, but were exposed by our advanced cyber and digital tools,” he said.
Police said Dawande and Gajbhiye approached economically weak residents, stating their accounts could be hired on a monthly rental for an organisation collecting donations for an orphanage.
The first FIR was lodged by Praful Gahukar with Saoner police station after getting high value transaction messages on his mobile number. Earlier, Gahukar said he was approached by Vaibhav Dawande, a resident of Ajani, Kamptee tehsil, and Kamlesh Gajbhiye, a resident of Kawrapeth, Nagpur, saying they are planning to open an orphanage and to receive donation they require to open bank accounts.
Assistant SP Mhaske lauded the dedicated efforts of officers like Assistant Inspector Ashishsingh Thakur and constables Nitesh Pusam, Sangeeta Gawade, and others in cracking the case. “This operation highlights the expertise of rural police in tackling advanced cyber crimes,” Mhaske remarked.
The gang, which invested the money, created nationwide networks of bank customers whose accounts were rented out for a monthly return of around Rs 4,000-5,000, but transacted lakhs of rupees in them. “A watertight case is being built to ensure conviction and create deterrence,” said Poddar, adding fraudsters underestimated the expertise of rural police. “The racketeers used technology to mask their footprint, but were exposed by our advanced cyber and digital tools,” he said.
Meanwhile, Saoner police have urged citizens to contact them in case they too have been duped in the name of the Jio Company as there is provision under MPIDA wherein their money could be returned.
As the investigation deepens, Nagpur Rural Police’s operation stands as a testament to the power of teamwork, technological acumen, and persistence in curbing cyber fraud.
