In a landmark operation against cybercrime, the Ludhiana police, in collaboration with the Assam police, have successfully arrested two key suspects linked to a multi-crore fraud case.
The accused identified as Atanu Choudhary and Anand Kumar Choudhary, were apprehended while hiding in the Dispur area of Guwahati.
This duo is part of an eight-member gang that allegedly defrauded Ludhiana businessman S.P. Oswal of an astonishing Rs 7 crore. The criminal scheme involved a series of threats and deception tactics, with the suspects initially posing as CBI officers from Maharashtra.
They claimed they would file a case against Oswal, further intimidating him by asserting that a fake passport from Malaysia had been obtained using his Aadhaar card.
The gang went as far as claiming that 16 debit cards had been illegally acquired via air travel and threatened that payment would exempt Oswal from any legal consequences. Under severe duress, the businessman transferred Rs 7 crore from two of his accounts to the criminals.
In a swift and effective response, the police managed to recover Rs 5.2 crore from the accounts of the arrested suspects, along with several ATM cards and mobile phones.
This operation not only highlights the ongoing challenges posed by cybercriminals but also underscores the importance of inter-state cooperation in tackling such issues.
Assam DGP GP Singh commented on the successful operation in a post on X, stating, “We are always there. Our association with @PunjabPoliceInd has stood the test of time.”
Meanwhile, Punjab Police Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav, praised the effort on X: “Commendable work by Ludhiana Police in cracking an inter-state cyber fraud gang. Two persons have been arrested from Guwahati, with the help of Assam police, and seven more persons have been nominated. A recovery of ₹5.25 crore, along with ATM cards and mobile phones, marks the largest-ever recovery in India as per I4C data.”
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the case, with the aim of dismantling the entire network of cyber fraudsters involved in this elaborate scheme
