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Ludhiana: ₹15 lakh courier scam busted; 2 from Beas held, mastermind on the run
The main accused is operating from Bihar and efforts are underway to trace and arrest him, Vinod Kumar, SHO of the cyber crime police station
In a major breakthrough in a sophisticated cyber fraud involving fake courier officials and impersonation of police personnel, Khanna police have arrested two men from Beas for their role in siphoning off ₹15 lakh from a local woman, while the alleged mastermind operating from Bihar remains at large.
The arrested accused have been identified as Arshpreet Singh and Jagtar Jora, both residents of Beas in Amritsar district.
Police said the duo acted as mule account holders, facilitating the transfer of defrauded money in exchange for commissions. Around ₹4 lakh has been recovered and returned to the victim.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP, Detective) Mohit Kumar Singla said the accused were part of an organised cyber fraud network. “They used bank accounts to receive and transfer money obtained through fraud, earning around 5% commission,” he said.
Police said Jagtar Jora played a crucial role in the racket. He was in direct contact with the fraudsters and arranged bank accounts to route the money. He would receive substantial commissions and distribute a share to other account holders based on the amount transferred.
“Jora, who worked in installing Wi-Fi connections at homes and offices, was actively coordinating with the gang. The other accused, Arshpreet Singh, works as a driver and was also involved in the financial transactions,” the DSP added.
How the fraud unfolded
The case was registered in February at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Khanna after a complaint by Arunlata Kalia, mother of the victim, Navda Kalia.
According to the complaint, Navda came in contact with a man posing as Manish Chaudhary on Instagram while working in Dubai last year. The man claimed to be a US-based businessman dealing in gold and gradually gained her trust, eventually proposing marriage.
He later claimed to be sending expensive gifts, including gold and diamond jewellery, an iPhone, Apple watches, cash in foreign currency, and other items through a courier service.
After Navda returned to India on August 15, 2025, she began receiving calls from individuals posing as courier officials from Dubai and Mumbai. They claimed that a parcel in her name had arrived but required payment of customs duty and penalties.
When she hesitated, the callers allegedly threatened her with legal action and arrest, escalating the pressure.
Threats, blackmail and money trail
Police said multiple fraudsters acted in coordination, using intimidation and fear tactics. The family was threatened with false criminal cases, defamation and even death threats.
Under pressure, the victim transferred around ₹15 lakh over multiple transactions.
Inspector Vinod Kumar, SHO of the cyber crime police station, said the police have registered a case under Sections 318 (cheating) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 66-D of the Information Technology Act.
He added that the main accused is operating from Bihar and efforts are underway to trace and arrest him. Further investigation is in progress.
