An inter-state cyber fraud involving Jharkhand, Gujarat and West Bengal has exposed a phone network that blurs the line between black market operations and legitimate purchases. The investigation began on April 7 when the Cybercrime Police in Rajkot received a complaint from a businessman in the construction sector.
The victim reported that he was tricked by fraudsters posing as bank officials who convinced him to share multiple OTPs under the pretext of completing a KYC process for his credit card. Unbeknownst to him, the cybercriminals from Jamtara were using his card details to buy high-end mobile phones online.
According to PI Savraj D Gilva of Rajkot Cyber Crime Police, the gang purchased two iPhones and one Samsung device worth ₹5,62,874 from an e-commerce site using the victim’s card. The police tracked the IMEI numbers of all three phones and kept them under electronic surveillance.
In late June, one of the stolen phones, a Samsung model, became active in Kolkata. A police team from Rajkot traced it to the residence of a senior lawyer practicing at the Calcutta High Court. The phone was found in use by the lawyer’s wife.
When questioned, the lawyer presented a GST invoice and transaction proof showing he had legally purchased the phone for ₹49,000 from a reputed store in Bowbazar, Kolkata. Rajkot police explained the phone was bought with stolen money and marked it as evidence in the case, making the lawyer an unsuspecting second victim.
The team then visited the Bowbazar store but could not trace the shop owner. Meanwhile, the lawyer filed a complaint for fraud and cheating against the store, which was later transferred to the Bowbazar police station. During questioning, the store owner provided a bill showing the phone was bought from a distributor, raising concerns about the wider supply chain.
The case highlights how a scam originating in Jamtara managed to travel across three states, with one victim losing lakhs and another unknowingly buying a device linked to cybercrime.
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