Gurugram police arrest man for providing bank account used in cyber fraud

Gurugram police have arrested a man for allegedly providing a bank account used in a Rs 8.30 lakh ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud case in which a woman was threatened with false allegations of money laundering and drug trafficking. A mobile phone allegedly used in the crime was recovered from his possession.

According to the police, on May 31 a woman lodged a complaint at the Cyber Crime Police Station East, stating that she had received a call via WhatsApp. The callers allegedly impersonated government and law-enforcement officials and claimed that her landline number and identity documents were being used in money laundering, drug trafficking and other illegal activities.

The fraudsters allegedly threatened her with arrest and legal action, placed her under a so-called “digital arrest” and coerced her into transferring money to multiple bank accounts. A case was subsequently registered.

A police team led by Inspector Amit, SHO of Cyber Crime Police Station East, investigated the matter using technical evidence, banking trails and financial analysis. The team arrested Vijay Kumar, a resident of Hapur district in Uttar Pradesh, from Hapur. He was produced before a court and remanded in police custody for two days.

“During police interrogation, it was revealed that Rs 8.30 lakh from the cheated amount in the case had been transferred into the bank account of accused Vijay Kumar. The accused disclosed that he had provided his bank account to another accused in exchange for Rs 50,000. The cyber fraud proceeds were received in that bank account. The police team is conducting intensive interrogation regarding the flow of funds, other account holders and other accused involved in the cyber fraud,” said Gaurav Phogat, ACP (Cyber).