Dubai-based kingpin's cybercrime syndicate busted in Delhi; bank employee among five held

New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) The Delhi Police has busted a pan-India cyber fraud syndicate allegedly run by a Dubai-based Indian kingpin, arresting five people including a relationship manager of a bank for facilitating fraudulent financial transactions, officials said on Friday.

According to police, the syndicate operated fake firms and opened multiple current accounts to launder the funds cheated from victims across at least 12 states.

"The accused allegedly earned Rs 1.5 lakh commission for every bank account opened for the racket's operations," read a statement issued by crime branch.

The accused -- Manjeet Singh (28), Manshvi (23), Manish Mehra (33), Sombir (43), and Anup (35), a bank official -- were apprehended from Delhi, Gurugram, and Hisar during the coordinated raids conducted after tracing their locations through digital surveillance.

"Investigation into an e-FIR lodged in June revealed that the group worked on the directions of a Dubai-based handler identified as Tom. Anup, the bank official, facilitated the opening of fake current accounts and leaked internal alerts related to NCRP (National Cybercrime Reporting Portal) complaints and account freezing," it read.

Others in the group allegedly created fake firms, maintained ledgers, and coordinated financial transactions.

During interrogation, the accused confessed to having floated at least three fake firms and opening eight bank accounts for routing cheated funds, police said.

The laundered money was later converted into a cryptocurrency -- USD Tether (USDT) -- to obscure its trail and transfer it abroad, they said.

"We have recovered 18 mobile phones, a laptop containing data of cryptocurrency wallets, and bank statements, 36 SIM cards, and multiple cheque books," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Aditya Gautam said.

"The seized documents are linked to 52 cyber fraud complaints reported across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Kerala and Haryana," he said, adding that further investigation is underway to identify the overseas handlers and trace the money trail. PTI BM ARB PRK