The Special Task Force (STF) has dismantled a significant international cyber fraud ring and apprehended two individuals linked to financial scams. According to the STF, these criminals were managing bank accounts for cyber offenders and laundering money through cryptocurrency. Over the last year, they amassed Rs 1.2 crore, with Rs 25 lakh received in March 2025. Both suspects were arrested in Rajpur on Saturday. In early March 2025, the Government of India repatriated 540 Indian nationals from Myanmar due to their involvement in cyber-crime networks based in South Asia, including 22 from Uttarakhand.
The STF identified the accused, Harinder Singh and Sandeep Singh, as residents of Udham Singh Nagar. They enticed individuals to open multiple current accounts under various business names. These accounts, along with cheque books, debit cards, and OTP-linked mobile numbers, were then transferred to cyber criminals via an app called X HELPER. The accounts facilitated illegal transactions both domestically and internationally.
The STF reported that they received 1 percent of each transaction in cryptocurrency (USDT) through Trust Wallet. Subsequently, they sold the cryptocurrency at a reduced rate via Telegram channels to convert it into Indian currency. The funds were deposited into several pre-established bank accounts, withdrawn at ATMs, and used for personal gain. Authorities have seized a laptop, seven mobile phones, one passport, two cheque books, three debit cards, two PAN cards, one passbook, and various stamp seals and bank account forms from the suspects.
Sandeep, a tenth-grade dropout, became skilled at opening corporate bank accounts. His proficiency caught the attention of cyber criminals, who brought him to Malaysia in June-July 2024 to train others in cyber fraud methods. Authorities are currently probing the cryptocurrency transactions associated with hawala traders. The operation was led by RB Chamola (Deputy Superintendent of Police, STF), along with Inspectors NK Bhatt, Vipin Bahuguna, and Devendra Nabiyal, as well as Sub-Inspectors Mukesh Chandra and Devendra Bharti, and Head Constables Sandesh, Devendra Mamgain, and Pramod Panwar.
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