Police bust illegal call centre in Phagwara

A major cybercrime racket operating out of Phagwara has been unearthed after a police investigation exposed an illegal international call centre running under the guise of a corporate office. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Toora disclosed that the syndicate was generating nearly USD 20,000 (Rs 17.6 lakh) daily, with the proceeds laundered through cryptocurrency, gift vouchers and hawala channels. He confirmed that 38 IT-trained employees have been arrested and are in police custody while the alleged mastermind remains absconding.

The investigation revealed that the call centre operated from a rented hall in a local hotel, with employees working nightly shifts between 7 pm and 1:30 am (IST) to coincide with business hours in the United States and Canada. The operation followed a three-stage modus operandi, beginning with impersonating representatives of reputed technology firms to lure victims into downloading malicious applications or sharing screens, followed by extraction of sensitive banking and personal data, and culminating in financial exploitation and extortion.

SSP Toora explained that the accused were recruited through a Delhi-based online job consultancy and trained on-site in Phagwara before being deployed in the fraudulent operation. Forensic analysis of laptops and mobile devices seized during the raid has revealed live screen-sharing sessions, banking credentials and communication logs documenting ongoing cyber fraud.

Among those arrested are Sajan, responsible for managing daily operations; Jaspreet Singh of Delhi, who trained recruits in cyber fraud techniques; Varun, handling technical systems; and Rohan, who oversaw operations. Preliminary inquiries indicate that the alleged mastermind, Amrinder Singh alias Sabhi Tohri, a local resident who leased the premises, has close links with associates in Delhi and Kolkata, and possibly to international contacts in Dubai. Investigators are coordinating with multiple state police teams to track other members of the syndicate and trace the network.

SSP Toora highlighted that the racket’s operations spanned multiple states.

The case, registered at Kapurthala cyber crime police station, is being described as one of the most significant crackdowns in Punjab in recent months.