UP: Two people linked to 35 cyber fraud cases worth Rs 60 lakh arrested

Kanpur (UP) | Police have arrested two people for allegedly committing cyber frauds of at least Rs 60 lakh by duping people across states and using the proceeds to buy luxury items, officials said on Friday.

The accused, identified as Anuj Tomar, an MBA graduate from Baghpat, and Vivek Sharma, a BTech degree holder and semi-professional cricketer, were arrested in Chandigarh and Delhi with assistance from the Punjab Police.

Police seized three laptops, 14 mobile phones, a Thar SUV, premium cricket bats, kits, and other luxury items from their possession.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Atul Kumar Srivastava said the arrests came following a complaint lodged by Sunil Kumar Khanna, a resident of Govind Nagar, who was cheated of Rs 1.35 lakh in June.

According to the complaint, Khanna received a phone call from someone posing as a bank executive offering to increase his credit card limit.

"The victim was made to fill out a form through a fake link, which enabled the accused to siphon off Rs 1,35,669 from his account," Srivastava said.

The Cyber Crime team tracked down the culprits using technical surveillance, banking records, and digital footprints, after registering a case under Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, he added.

According to police, both accused had earlier worked in a Singapore-based multinational company but lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. After returning to India, they came into contact with a cybercriminal who trained them in online fraud techniques.

The duo allegedly targeted victims across Delhi, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh through fake credit card upgrade schemes. Police said at least 35 complaints linked to them have been found on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, involving fraud totalling nearly Rs 60 lakh.

During interrogation, Vivek Sharma admitted spending the stolen money on a premium SS-brand cricket bat worth Rs 1.25 lakh and other equipment while preparing for IPL trials.

While Anuj Tomar, described by police as the "technical brain" of the operation, used his share to buy a Mahindra Thar worth Rs 12 lakh.

"The accused are educated professionals who turned to cybercrime after losing their jobs. We are examining their digital trail to identify more victims and associates," DCP Srivastava said.

Police have urged citizens to remain vigilant against phishing calls and not to share confidential banking information with unknown callers.

Suspected fraud can be reported through the National Cyber Helpline 1930 or the official portal http://www.cybercrime.gov.in, they added