Kanpur: In a joint operation, the Cyber Cell of DCP South and Barra Police in Kanpur busted a cyber crime gang carrying out illegal transactions in collusion with bank officials, and arrested eight people in connection with transactions worth Rs 125 crore, police said.The Commissionerate Police said, acting tip-off, eight people were arrested for allegedly laundering proceeds through fake GST firms and bank accounts.Police said a special informant reported that certain individuals registered fake GST firms or enterprises and opened current or trust accounts to obtain higher transaction limits. These fake GST firms, police said, colluded with bank employees to open accounts and route money obtained through digital arrest or cyber fraud into them.Police said a commission of 5 to 10% of the proceeds of digital arrest or cyber fraud was paid to the bank employees. The fake accounts, police said, were monitored by bank employees, and if any cyber complaint was received relating to an account, the employees immediately withdrew the deposited amount and dissuaded victims from transferring fraud proceeds into those accounts by warning that the account might get frozen.Money was collected through fake firm accounts opened with forged documents and fake GST registrations, then transferred into trust and current accounts, said police.Acting on the tip that some individuals gathered near a school near H Block Petrol Line to plan a new cyber crime, police arrested three accused. They were identified as Sonu Sharma, son of Late Durga Prasad Sharma, of Barra 8; Satish Pandey of Barra 8 and Sahil Vishwakarma, son of Hari Charan Vishwakarma, of Govind Nagar.Police said four mobile phones of different companies were seized from their possession. While searching for other accused five more accused were arrested on Thursday.They were identified as Dharmendra Singh of Village Agapur, Bahraich; Tanish Gupta of Barra 8; Amit Singh of Kanpur Dehat; Amit Kumar of Govindnagar, and Aashish Kumar of Kalyanpur.Police said five mobile phones of different companies were recovered from their possession. Legal proceedings against all eight arrested accused were being completed, police said, adding that efforts were being made to arrest the remaining accused.Police said the modus operandi involved bank employees colluding to open accounts into which digital arrest or cyber fraud money was deposited, with 5 to 10% commission of the fraud proceeds paid to those employees. Police said fake GST firms or enterprises were registered to open current or trust accounts to obtain higher transaction limits, and that fake accounts opened through banks were monitored by bank employees; if any cyber complaint was received, the deposited amount was immediately withdrawn and victims were dissuaded from transferring money by warning that the account might be frozen.Police said fake GST firms or enterprises were registered and transactions worth Rs 90 lakh took place within 14 days, but the account holder had no knowledge of this. Police said current or trust accounts were opened in various banks including UP GRAMIN BANK, J&K BANK, CSB BANK, UNITY SMALL FINANCE BANK, AXIS BANK, MAHARASHTRA GRAMIN BANK, UCO BANK, CITY UNION BANK, among others, and account limits were enhanced to receive funds from cyber fraud, including digital arrest and investment or banking fraud, enabling crores of rupees in transactions without interruption, with illegal commissions being received. Police said accounts were opened and operated with the collusion of certain bank employees, and that in the event of a cyber complaint, the amount was immediately withdrawn to evade tracing, with bank employees’ collusion found in this as well.In a public appeal, police said people should not believe any call claiming “Digital Arrest”, should not share OTP or bank details with any unknown person, and should report suspicious calls or transactions immediately to the police or Cyber Helpline 1930.
