Cybercrime ‘mules’ dupe own gang leader of ₹17 lakh, use money to repay loans

Police said the ₹17 lakh was part of ₹51 lakh fraudulently extracted from a retired IAS officer living in Raisina Residency in Sector-59, after being held under a “digital arrest” by cybercriminals posing as police officials.

A private bank official and his friend, both working as mule account operators for a cybercrime gang, allegedly siphoned off ₹17 lakh from the gang leader and used it to repay personal loans and pay off goons sent by the gang to recover the money, police said on Wednesday.

The trio were sent to judicial custody after production before a court on Monday, said police.

Police said the ₹17 lakh was part of ₹51 lakh fraudulently extracted from a retired IAS officer living in Raisina Residency in Sector-59, after being held under a “digital arrest” by cybercriminals posing as police officials.

Investigators said that the accused even paid ₹1 lakh each to three goons to avoid getting assaulted when they approached the duo to recover the money.

The scam came into light after the police arrested the three accused ---Sangram Singh, 33, sales executive in a private bank from Ranjit Nagar, Gohil Ajay Bhai, 25, his friend from Parbadi and Arjun Kumar, 31, of Gorwa, --- from Vadodara, Gujarat on Saturday. They were brought to Gurugram on Monday and later sent to judicial custody.

Police officers said the cybercriminals impersonated a Deputy Superintendent of Police from Mumbai and accused him of being linked to a money laundering case through his Aadhar and other credentials.

The officer said that the retired bureaucrat had submitted a written complaint at Cybercrime police station (south) on July 22 which was registered under relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and an investigation was launched.

Police said ₹17 lakh was transferred into Bhai’s account, while another ₹4.3 lakh was sent to Kumar’s account. Kumar had earned a 1% commission from the gang.

“Bhai had given the account’s access to Singh, who in turn sold it to the gang through Kumar,” he said and added that once the money was credited, they decided to keep the money for themselves.

Investigators said that both managed to retrieve the full amount in cash through multiple withdrawals before the cyber criminals could transfer it to any other account.

Singh used the money to clear a pending car loan and Bhai had used his share to repay a personal loan.

An official privy to the investigation said that when the gang leader realised that the money was withdrawn, he sent three goons to threaten Singh and Bhai tinto returning the money. Fearing assault, the duo paid ₹1 each to the goons to settle the matter.

Sandeep Kumar, public relations officer of the Gurugram police, said the trio were sent to judicial custody after production before a court on Monday. “Raids were going on to nab the other suspects involved in the case,” he said.