Cyber Crime
An Interstate Gang of Fake CBI , RBI and Income Tax Officers arrested by UP Police
PRAYAGRAJ : On August 16, 2024, under the direction of the Police Commissioner of Prayagraj Commissionerate, the Additional Police Commissioner of Prayagraj Commissionerate, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, and the supervision of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime Station, Prayagraj Commissionerate, a team led by Inspector Rajeev Tiwari of the Cyber Crime Station, Prayagraj Commissionerate successfully apprehended the leader and members of a gang involved in a major cyber fraud case registered under FIR No. 35/2024, sections 319(2), 318(4), 308(2), 336(3), 111(1)(2) B.N.S.S., and sections 66C/66D of the IT Act.
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Case Summary: The accused lured the victim with the promise of high returns on investments using the DEFTER/LASER ACCOUNTING APP. The victim initially invested ₹20 lakhs, and when they tried to withdraw their funds, the accused impersonated officials from CBI, RBI, Income Tax, and other agencies to threaten the victim with summons, notices, and imprisonment. Ultimately, they defrauded the victim of Rs 68 lakh.
Modus Operandi: During interrogation, it was revealed that the gang members convinced people to invest in digital currency, promising huge returns. They used a fake DEFTER/LEDGER ACCOUNTING app to display fabricated profits in digital currency. Additionally, they impersonated CBI officers and other officials to scare victims with fake tax and penalty notices, summonses, and threats of jail. The accused used caller ID spoofing on Truecaller to appear as CBI officers, thus intimidating people and coercing them to transfer money to their accounts. Further questioning revealed that the accused used the fraudulently obtained money to open the “Night Queen Bar and Restaurant” and the “Metro View Bar and Restaurant” in New Delhi, which they are currently operating.