Authorities have uncovered a large cybercrime operation in Patna, where cyber police arrested 4 members of an interstate fraud gang following a detailed investigation. The group allegedly targeted victims by offering fake gas connections from Mahanagar Gas Limited or by threatening to disconnect existing services. Officials said the operation followed a pattern similar to scams associated with Jamtara, a district known for cyber fraud activities.
Police identified the arrested individuals as Gulthan Yadav, Arun Mandal, and Pankaj Kumar, all residents of Jamtara district in Jharkhand, along with gang leader Sridhar from Pune. Investigators said the gang had been running the fraud operation from a rented flat in the New Jaganpura area of Patna for 5–6 months. The accused allegedly contacted victims while posing as gas service representatives, offering new connections or threatening to terminate existing services to create panic and gain trust.
During the scam, victims were reportedly sent a suspicious APK file on their mobile phones. Once the file was installed, the cybercriminals gained access to banking credentials and confidential mobile data. Police said this allowed the gang to carry out unauthorized money transfers from the victims’ accounts. Technical investigations revealed that cyber fraud cases linked to the gang have been registered in nearly 20 states, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana. Authorities believe the group may have committed fraud worth crores of rupees. Investigators also discovered that the gang collected personal data through the messaging platform Telegram. Mobile numbers and personal details were allegedly supplied through the platform and later used to target victims.
Police recovered 18 mobile phones from the accused during the arrest. During questioning, the suspects admitted they had been involved in cybercrime activities for 4–5 years and had previously served jail sentences. After their release, they allegedly rebuilt their organized fraud network. A senior cyber police officer confirmed that forensic examinations have started and the recovered mobile phones and bank transaction records are being analysed. Law enforcement agencies in other states have also been contacted to dismantle the network completely. Officials have warned citizens to avoid unknown calls, suspicious links, and APK downloads from unverified sources. They advised verifying any offers made in the name of companies through official websites or customer helplines. Police said the investigation is ongoing to identify other members of the gang and the data supply network involved in the operation.
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