Navi Mumbai News: Vashi Police Nab Duo Linked To ₹16.2 Lakh Online Fraud Case

Navi Mumbai: Vashi police have arrested two men from Jaipur in Rajasthan, for allegedly supplying bank accounts to cybercriminals involved in online fraud. The accused, identified as Rahul Sitaram Choudhary (22) and Manoj Dharmveer Samota (22), were apprehended on August 6 in connection with a case where a businessman from Vashi was duped of Rs 16.2 lakh in March this year.

According to police, the accused purchased bank accounts from poor and needy youths for Rs10,000–Rs 12,000, along with their SIM cards and debit cards, and passed them on to cyber fraud gangs. These accounts were then used to receive money from victims of online scams.

The investigation began after fraudsters posed as representatives of Upstox customer service and lured the businessman with promises of high returns in the share market. They convinced him to open a VIP trading account and later transferred the funds he deposited to fraudulent accounts.

Acting under the guidance of Senior Police Inspector Sanjay Dhumal, a team led by API Yogesh Bhosale traced the fraudulent bank accounts, identified the middlemen, and set up a trap in Jaipur. The duo was detained at 10 pm on August 6 and formally arrested at Vishwakarma Police Station. Vashi police secured a three-day transit remand to bring them to Navi Mumbai for further investigation.

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From Choudhary, police seized five mobile phones, five bank passbooks, 15 debit cards, Aadhaar cards, and SIM cards. From Samota, they recovered five mobile phones, one passbook, and eight debit cards. "We are investigating further to find other accused in the chain," a police officer from Vashi police station said.

Police have urged citizens not to share their PAN card, Aadhaar card, linked mobile number, or bank account details with anyone without reason, warning that such accounts may be misused in cyber fraud.