A major breakthrough in Uttar Pradesh’s fight against cybercrime has led to the dismantling of an organised fraud network in Ghazipur. As part of the statewide “Cy-Vajra” anti-cybercrime campaign, Ghazipur Police arrested 7 accused and uncovered a cyber fraud operation linked to more than 20 complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Investigators have traced suspicious financial transactions worth nearly ₹2.55 crore.
The operation was carried out by 8 joint teams from the Cyber Cell, Cyber Crime Police Station, and multiple district police stations across Ghazipur. Along with the 7 arrests, an 8th suspect has also been booked. The accused have been identified as Priyanshu Prajapati, Kuldeep Verma, Prince Gupta, Anurag Kumar, Sunny alias Pawan, and 2 juveniles whose involvement is being examined under juvenile justice procedures. So far, 6 criminal cases have been registered at Gahmar, Dildarnagar, Mohammadabad, Saidpur, Kotwali, and Zamania police stations.
According to investigators, the network supported cybercriminals through task fraud, fake online ratings, mule bank accounts, suspicious mobile numbers, and Ponzi-style investment schemes. Victims were first paid small amounts to gain their trust before being convinced to invest larger sums with promises of high returns. Once larger payments were made, communication stopped, and the money was transferred through multiple mule accounts to make tracking difficult. The group also used WhatsApp, Telegram, and other messaging platforms to promote fake investment opportunities, part-time jobs, and work-from-home schemes.
The Ghazipur action is part of the 7-day “Cy-Vajra” campaign launched by Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna on July 6 to strengthen action against cybercriminals and speed up financial relief for victims. Similar raids and arrests have also taken place in Gonda and Sitapur.
Police are now conducting forensic examinations of bank accounts, mobile phones, and other digital devices to identify more members of the network and trace the complete money trail. Former IPS officer and cybercrime specialist Prof. Triveni Singh said organised cybercrime now relies on mule accounts, fake digital identities, and social engineering, making early financial investigation, digital forensics, banking intelligence, and anti-money laundering efforts essential. Police have advised citizens to stay alert against task-based earning offers and fake investment schemes and to report cyber fraud immediately through the National Cyber Helpline at 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
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