UP-STF arrests Tibetan refugee for providing Indian bank accounts to cyber criminals

Investigation revealed that Therchin was in contact with cybercriminals operating from Nepal and Sri Lanka to dupe Indian citizens. He provided them Indian bank accounts for ₹4.5 lakh per account, said investigators

Uttar Pradesh special task force (UP-STF)’s Noida unit has arrested a 37-year-old Tibetan refugee for being allegedly involved in buying Indian bank accounts at cheap prices from financially weak people and providing these account details to cyber fraudsters operating in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, said UP-STF officials on Thursday, adding that the suspect was residing in Delhi under a fake identity.

Suspect Choezot Therchin, aka Chandra Thakur, a resident of Dwarka in Delhi, in police custody on Thursday. (HT Photo)

Officials said the suspect has a criminal record and they have found that he provided Indian bank accounts to fraudsters for ₹4.5 lakh per account.

“We had received information over the past few days that Indian bank accounts, including those of Uttar Pradesh residents, were sold to cyber criminals operating in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand,” said Raj Kumar Mishra, superintendent of police, UPSTF, Noida unit.

“On the basis of complaints, suspect Choezot Therchin, aka Chandra Thakur, a resident of Dwarka in Delhi, was called for questioning to the UP-STF office in Noida. During interrogation, it was found that Therchin was residing in India using a fake passport and identity card. He also changed his name to Chandra Thakur in documents to avoid suspicion and evade scrutiny,” Mishra said.

Investigation revealed that Therchin was in contact with cybercriminals operating from Nepal and Sri Lanka to dupe Indian citizens. “He used to open bank accounts in the name of financially weaker people and pay them a pittance to use their account credentials. Therchin was also involved in making fake SIM cards to operate online banking on these bank accounts. Later, these accounts were sold to cybercriminals for ₹4.5 lakh each,” said Mishra, adding that the suspect was involved in providing bank accounts to swindlers for the past two years.

“We are gathering details to ascertain just how many Uttar Pradesh residents fell into his trap and opened bank accounts after getting a commission.

These bank accounts are generally used by cybercriminals to transfer money they swindle from victims. Later, they (cybercriminals) withdraw the money from these accounts and elope.

Officials said Therchin moved to Nepal from Tibet with a group of 50 to 60 people at the age of 14. Later, he studied in Himachal Pradesh and moved to Delhi. In 2013, he made a fake Indian passport from Kolkata with the help of a tout and changed his identity to “Chandra Thakur”.

In 2021, he came in contact with a Chinese citizen called “Li” in Nepal who asked him to provide Indian bank accounts.

“Therchin was also a co-accused in a previous SIM card trafficking case registered in Noida against a suspect named Jordan. Delhi Police also arrested him in 2021 after a bank account holder lodged a complaint that ₹4.5 crore transaction was made through his account. Therchin was imprisoned for around nine months in that case,” said the SP.

Police recovered 26 bank accounts, two passports, one fake voter ID, one PAN card, one Aadhaar card, two mobile phones, and a Cambodia SIM card from his possession.

A case of fraud and cheating under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered against him at Surajpur police station on Wednesday, and further investigations are underway.