Thane cops raid 4 more call centres, seize hard disks

Investigators probing the scam — in which several call centres in the area got employees to pose as revenue officials and bully US loan defaulters into making payments — found on questioning the arrested employees that these four centres were using a similar operation

Four more call centres in Mira Road were raided on Saturday, following leads from the employees arrested in the tele fraud case busted earlier this week.

On Tuesday, the Thane police raided seven call centers at Mira Road, rounded up 772 employees and arrested 72 of them, including eight managing directors. (Pramod Thakur/HT photo)

Investigators probing the scam — in which several call centres in the area got employees to pose as revenue officials and bully US loan defaulters into making payments — found on questioning the arrested employees that these four centres were using a similar operation.

Read: Thane call centre fraud: Callers got details on victims from FB too

3 call centres in Thane raided for cheating US loan defaulters

The centres, however, had shut shop after Tuesday’s raid, officials said.

“We studied the area first and learnt the four centres had closed after our first raid. We haven’t been able to trace any of the employees yet, but we have gathered information from the spot,” said an officer from the Thane commissionerate.

A US national of Indian origin is suspected to be the kingpin of the international racket, and the police are probing the role of agents based in that country. “We have sent a team to Gujarat to further our probe,” said a another police officer privy to the investigation.

A source in the police said around 6,500 people were duped of over Rs 500 crore in the racket, which may have gone on for over a year.