A nationwide cyber fraud syndicate that allegedly lured victims through fake matrimonial profiles before duping them into bogus forex investments has been busted, with five accused arrested under Operation Mule Hunt 2.0, police said on Monday. Investigators believe the network is linked to cyber frauds worth more than Rs 15.31 crore across the country.
Victim Duped Through Fake Matrimonial Profile
According to the police, the fraud began with a fake profile created under the name “Jigyasha Kapoor” on the matrimonial platform Dilsafar. After gaining the victim’s trust through regular conversations, the accused allegedly persuaded him to invest in forex trading through a website called RoboForex, promising lucrative returns.
To build confidence, the victim was initially asked to invest Rs 50,000 and was allowed to withdraw a small profit. He was then directed via Telegram to invest larger sums by transferring money into multiple bank accounts allegedly controlled by the syndicate.
Investigators said the victim eventually transferred Rs 1.47 crore, while the online platform displayed fabricated profits. When he attempted to withdraw the amount, the fraudsters claimed the account had been “locked” and demanded an additional Rs 83 lakh along with various processing and withdrawal charges.
In all, the victim allegedly lost Rs 2.30 crore, with none of the invested money being returned.
Mule Accounts Used to Route Fraud Proceeds
The investigation revealed that the accused allegedly created and supplied mule bank accounts to receive and route funds obtained through cyber fraud. One such account, opened in the name of R.P. Chemicals, was allegedly used to channel the proceeds before the banking credentials were passed through intermediaries and ultimately supplied to operatives in Nepal for laundering.
Police said the same bank account has surfaced in 31 cyber fraud complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP), with the total fraud amount linked to it exceeding Rs 15.31 crore.
Five Accused Arrested
The five arrested accused have been identified as Raj Atulbhai Padsala of Anand, Yagnik Ashokbhai Ramani of Rajkot, Laxman Jayantilal Vaghela of Rajkot, Dr Jaideep Kumar Batuklal Aradesana of Rajkot and Sagar Bhimjibhai Gokani of Rajkot.
According to investigators, the accused allegedly played different roles in procuring and supplying bank accounts used to facilitate the movement of fraudulent funds. During the operation, police seized seven mobile phones, forged documents, an Aadhaar card and a PAN card, which are suspected to have been used in operating the cyber fraud network.
Investigation Continues
Police are now tracing the money trail, identifying other members of the syndicate and investigating whether more victims across India were targeted using similar fake matrimonial profiles and fraudulent investment schemes.