Lucknow bank's deputy manager among 3 held over multi-crore cyber fraud

Lucknow, Nov 6 (PTI) The Lucknow Police on Thursday claimed to have busted a cyber fraud worth several crores and victims spread across India with the arrest of three men, including a deputy branch manager of a private bank.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Kamlesh Dixit said the arrests were made in a joint operation by the Cyber Crime Cell and the Cyber Crime Police Station.

The alleged frauds were identified as Uttam Kumar Biswas, a deputy branch manager at IndusInd Bank in Chinhat here, and Umakant and Rajeev Biswas, both natives of Basti district, Dixit told reporters.

According to police, the three created fake companies and opened multiple bank accounts to channel funds obtained through online gaming and cyber fraud.

"The arrested bank manager provided active support in opening fraudulent accounts and received 10 to 20 per cent commission from the proceeds," the DCP said.

Two of the accused were apprehended on Wednesday near the Mahanagar crossing on a tip-off.

During questioning, Umakant admitted to operating a fake firm, Aakash Real Estate and Developers Pvt Ltd, through which fraudulent bank accounts were opened to launder money.

Dixit said Biswas and his associates siphoned around Rs 20 crore, of which 10-20 per cent was paid to the bank official in cash and digital transfers.

A police team later raided a house in Kiran Enclave on Kursi Road and arrested Biswas, who confessed to his involvement.

He told investigators that he had helped the accused open accounts in the names of Sunrise Solutions Pvt Ltd at IndusInd Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank, where defrauded money was received and subsequently withdrawn.

The police recovered Rs 30,000 in cash, five mobile phones, six ATM cards, two Aadhaar cards, and one PAN card from the three and booked them at the Cyber Crime Police Station under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66(D) of the IT Act.

At least 50 cyber fraud complaints by their alleged victims were registered across states, including Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Haryana, and Telangana.

The police have also appealed to citizens to remain vigilant against online scams and to report incidents of cyber fraud to the national helpline 1930 or the website cybercrime.gov.in. PTI KIS VN VN