In a surprising turn of events, a man accused of cyberfraud allegedly tried to divert attention by posing as a victim and filing a false complaint with authorities.
A 41-year-old resident of Mehsana approached the cyber helpline claiming he had been cheated of Rs 77.5 lakh through 12 bank accounts. However, a detailed investigation by the Mehsana cybercrime police found the complaint to be “false and misleading,” suggesting it was an attempt to misguide the probe.
Based on findings from the I4C (Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre) portal, an FIR was registered on May 1 following a complaint by a police constable from the cybercrime police station. During the inquiry, two bank accounts linked to the accused in Ujjivan Small Finance Bank and Equitas Bank were identified as mule accounts.
Police said these accounts were used to receive and transfer funds obtained through cyberfraud across multiple states. “Further scrutiny revealed that the accused was operating as many as 12 bank accounts across different banks, which were being used to route fraudulent money. Despite knowing the funds were proceeds of crime, he withdrew and transferred them for personal gain,” an official said.
Investigators linked at least 15 complaints from states including Gujarat, Telangana, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to these accounts. So far, Rs 14.1 lakh has been traced as fraudulent transactions routed through them.
Authorities also found that the accused’s name and mobile numbers appeared in several cyberfraud cases, including credit card fraud, loan settlement scams, and fake contest schemes.
During questioning, the accused reportedly admitted that his complaint to the helpline was false. Police believe he filed it to create a defence and present himself as a victim.
A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy, and fraudulent financial transactions. Further investigation is ongoing to identify other individuals involved and trace additional funds.
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