Cyber Crime
UP STF Busts Gang of Computer Engineers Who Defrauded SGPGI’s Neurologist Dr. Ruchika of Rs 2.8 Crore
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) in Lucknow has dismantled a sophisticated scam operation that defrauded a faculty member at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) out of Rs 2.8 crore. The scam was orchestrated by a group of six individuals, all of whom hold Master of Computer Application degrees. The suspects, identified as Faiz (also known as Adil), Deepak Sharma, Ayush Yadav, Faiz Beg, Mohd Usman, and Manish Kumar, were apprehended in Lucknow.
During the arrest, authorities recovered eight mobile phones, multiple passbooks, and banking kits from HDFC Bank, including passbooks, ATM cards, and checkbooks. Additionally, Rs 30 lakh was discovered in various bank accounts connected to the suspects.
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The victim, Dr. Ruchika Tandon, an associate professor in the Neurology department at SGPGIMS, was deceived out of Rs 2.81 crore after being “digitally arrested” by cybercriminals in Lucknow’s Krishna Nagar area. The scammers falsely accused her of involvement in a money laundering case and, under the guise of an official investigation, coerced her into revealing sensitive banking information. This information was subsequently used to transfer Rs 2.81 crore from her account.
Dr. Tandon filed a First Information Report (FIR) at the Cyber Police Station in Lucknow on August 14. The case was then handed over to the STF, which, acting on a tip-off, located the gang near Shaheed Path.
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Deputy Superintendent of Police (STF), Deepak Kumar, stated that during questioning, the suspects revealed their method of operation. They impersonated police officers or other officials to intimidate their targets into disclosing banking details, which they then used to transfer money into their own accounts.