Operation Uncovers Multi-State Cyber Syndicate

Investigators with the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police Special Cell have dismantled a sophisticated cyber fraud syndicate with the arrest of seven individuals. The crackdown follows an extensive multi-state operation tracing unauthorized transactions totaling nearly Rs 4 crore from a single bank account.

According to senior law enforcement officials, the intricate web of financial crime involved a network of mule bank accounts, illegal cash withdrawals, and suspected links to foreign cryptocurrency exchanges and traditional hawala channels.

The investigation was launched following a formal complaint filed on October 5 by 28-year-old Prince Bansal, an executive engaged in non-banking financial company (NBFC) and loan-related operations. Bansal reported that his ICICI Bank account was targeted in a sudden blitz of 149 unauthorized transactions executed simultaneously around 11:00 AM on October 5, draining Rs 3,93,59,000.

Prompt intervention by the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) enabled authorities to place a legal lien or hold on Rs 1.78 crore of the looted funds, preventing complete dissipation.

Inter-State Raids and Key Arrests

Following the cyber attack, a specialized investigative team tracked the rapid movement of funds across multiple financial institutions. This triggered a intensive seven-day operational sweep across Bikaner, Jodhpur, and other districts in Rajasthan to identify the account holders, facilitators, and operational nodes.

A significant breakthrough was achieved with the apprehension of 29-year-old Brij Lal, a native of Phalodi in Rajasthan. Police confirmed that Lal was already a wanted suspect in a separate Rs 95 lakh cyber fraud case previously registered with the IFSO unit.

Investigators revealed that the syndicate systematically routed the stolen proceeds through a series of layered mule bank accounts to obfuscate the financial trail. Specific members of the network routinely withdrew physical cash from these accounts, handing the physical currency over to high-level coordinators.

Aside from Brij Lal, police have identified and arrested six other suspects from Rajasthan: Piyush Talaniya (19), Vipin Chanwariya (19), Sunil (23), Vikram (23), Rakesh Bahadu (26), and Hemant Singh (23).

Hawala Channels and USDT Conversion

Interrogations of the prime accused have exposed international dimensions to the domestic operation. Police stated that Brij Lal maintained a digital wallet ID on a foreign money-exchange application known as 'U Home' and communicated with an overseas cyber network via a mobile number carrying a +852 country code (Hong Kong).

According to the charges, physical cash withdrawn from domestic mule accounts was systematically converted into USDT—a stablecoin cryptocurrency—through clandestine hawala operators. Lal reportedly disclosed that substantial cash consignments were physically delivered to couriers in Khanna, Punjab, under the explicit instructions of these financial fixers.

Massive Seizures of Financial Instruments

During the multi-location raids, law enforcement recovered incriminating physical assets essential to the operation of the scam, including:

* 45 Cheque books * 25 Bank passbooks * 45 ATM cards * 13 Mobile phones used for unauthorized authorizations

Financial profiling indicates that individual suspects played specialized roles. For instance, Piyush Talaniya allegedly withdrew Rs 9.50 lakh from his designated mule account for Brij Lal, while Vipin Chanwariya extracted Rs 7 lakh on October 12. Simultaneously, suspects Vikram and Hemant Singh are accused of procuring and managing multiple mule accounts utilized for laundering the illegal proceeds.

Legal proceedings under Section 84 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) remain active against Brij Lal in connection with his pending warrants in the earlier Rs 95 lakh fraud case. Further forensic audits of the seized digital devices and bank records are ongoing to trace remaining beneficiaries and foreign handlers.