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47-year-old woman from Thane has been allegedly duped of Rs 1.85 crore by cyber fraudsters who convinced her to invest in share trading, promising high returns. The incident, which came to light recently, has prompted police to register a case under the relevant sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act.
As per PTI reports, the woman was first contacted by the accused in October 2024, who lured her into the world of share trading by offering attractive returns. These fraudsters, who identified themselves under a group name, added her to various WhatsApp groups where they provided further instructions on how to make the investments. The accused sent links through which the woman was instructed to transfer money.
Over a span of several months, from October 2024 until January 2025, the woman transferred a total of Rs 1.85 crore to the fraudsters. She was assured that her investments would yield good returns, and initially, she had no reason to doubt the legitimacy of the transactions.
However, as time passed and the woman received no returns or updates on her investment, she began to realise that she had been defrauded. The fraudsters' promises of lucrative returns never materialised, and upon further investigation, she discovered that she had been a victim of an elaborate scam.
In a dramatic turn of events, Thane Police investigating a cyber fraud case uncovered an illegal call centre in Uttar Pradesh and arrested the alleged mastermind following a high-speed car chase on the Lucknow-Barabanki highway, a senior police officer reported on Monday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-I) Subash Burse stated that a woman from Mumbra in Thane district had lodged a complaint last October, alleging she was defrauded of Rs 13.54 lakh by a man she had met on a matrimonial platform.
According to the FIR, the accused had created a fake profile, posing as a successful diamond and jewellery businessman based in the United States. Over time, he gained the victim's trust, convincing her to transfer large sums of money under various pretexts, such as customs clearance fees for gifts and financial aid for an emergency following an alleged accident in Uganda.
During the course of the investigation, the digital trail led police to one Jaid Ful Khan, a 24-year-old salon operator from Bhopal. Upon interrogation, Khan revealed the name of the alleged mastermind, Ezaz Ahmed Imtiaz Ahmed, a businessman based in Lucknow.
Acting on a tip-off provided by a 12-year-old tea vendor, the police traced the illegal call centre operated by the accused. However, sensing police presence, the suspect attempted to flee in his SUV. This led to a high-speed chase spanning six kilometres along the Lucknow-Barabanki highway. The pursuit ended with the police successfully apprehending the suspect and seizing his vehicle.
The investigation also uncovered a wealth of evidence from the illegal call centre, including nine laptops, routers, and several mobile phones.
"The accused has been remanded to police custody until January 22 after being produced before a magistrate," said the DCP.
The dramatic nature of the arrest and the subsequent busting of the call centre has highlighted the growing threat posed by cyber fraud operations across the country. The Thane Police's swift action has not only ensured the arrest of the accused but also brought to light the organised nature of such crimes, which prey on vulnerable individuals.
As per PTI reports, the police are continuing their investigation to identify other accomplices and further dismantle the network involved in the scam.
(With inputs from PTI)
