Wardha cyber police bust mule bank account fraud gang, arrest two
Wardha cyber police arrested two men for luring people with loan offers and using their bank accounts to launder cyber fraud money.
The Wardha cyber police have busted a racket that used mule bank accounts to defraud ordinary citizens. Maharashtra Cyber and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (14C) had given the police a list of suspicious bank accounts. Based on this list, police launched a detailed investigation into accounts at the Akola Urban Co-operative Bank Limited, Wardha branch.
The investigation found that these accounts were being used for cyber fraud. A case was registered against the accused at the Cyber Police Station, Wardha, under crime number 17/2026, under sections 318(4) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.
The probe found suspicious transactions in some accounts at Akola Urban Bank. Police allege that the accused, 42-year-old Naveen Suresh Ahuja and 28-year-old Ashish alias Ashu Shyamkumar Dubbani, both residents of Wardha, conspired with other accomplices to lure ordinary citizens with promises of arranging loans for them. Police said the two got bank accounts opened in the names of citizens who fell for this lure.
The investigation found that these accounts were then used to deposit money obtained through cyber fraud, transfer it to other accounts, and withdraw cash. Police allege that accused Ashish alias Ashu Shyamkumar Dubbani was illegally getting SIM cards issued in the names of women in Salod, and that accused Naveen Ahuja was using bank accounts opened in the names of women witnesses to transfer fraud money.
Police have arrested both accused, Naveen Suresh Ahuja and Ashish alias Ashu Shyamkumar Dubbani, in the case. Further investigation is being carried out by the Cyber Police Station, Wardha.
The action was carried out under the guidance of Superintendent of Police, Wardha, Saurabh Kumar Agrawal, and Additional Superintendent of Police, Wardha, Sadashiv Waghmare, and under the leadership of Cyber Police Station Inspector Chandrakant Patil. The operation involved Sub-Inspector Ayesha Mulla, police head constables Vaibhav Katojwar, Amit Shukla, Omprakash Kokode and Ranjit Jadhav, police constable Pawan Jhade, and women police constables Lekha Rathod and Aarti Parise, along with the team of the Cyber Police Station, Wardha.
Wardha cyber police have appealed to citizens to be cautious of cyber fraud. They advised against giving bank account access, ATM cards, OTPs, SIM cards or financial transaction rights to any unknown or suspicious person, and against falling for loan offers. Anyone defrauded should immediately contact the cyber helpline number 1930 or the nearest cyber police station, police said.
