Police have apprehended five individuals from Uttar Pradesh involved in a sophisticated cybercrime operation that defrauded victims across India of crores of rupees. The arrests followed a report filed by Sonia Hanspal, a resident of Amasivani, who reported being defrauded of ₹2.83 crore between May 21, 2025, and July 10, 2025. The perpetrators, posing as members of the Delhi Cyber Wing and Delhi Police, coerced Hanspal into a “digital arrest” scenario via WhatsApp video calls, claiming her Aadhaar card was linked to multiple bank accounts involved in money laundering.
The investigation was spearheaded by senior police officials. A joint team comprising the Range Cyber Police Station, Anti-Crime & Cyber Unit, and Vidhan Sabha Police initiated a probe, gathering detailed information from the complainant and conducting technical analysis of the mobile numbers and bank accounts involved. The investigation led to the identification of the suspects in Uttar Pradesh.
A four-member team was dispatched to Uttar Pradesh, where they conducted raids in Gorakhpur and Lucknow. The arrests included Akash Sahu and Sher Bahadur Singh alias Monu from Gorakhpur, and Anoop Mishra, Naveen Mishra, and Anand Kumar Singh from Lucknow. During questioning, the suspects confessed to their involvement in the fraudulent scheme.
Akash and Sher Bahadur Singh procured mobile SIM cards and initiated WhatsApp video calls. Anoop, Naveen, and Anand Singh established fake companies like Shri Narayani Infra Developer Private Limited to channel the stolen funds through various bank accounts. Anand Singh operated a Punjab National Bank customer service center in Deoria, Uttar Pradesh.
All five accused were arrested, and bank accounts, checkbooks, SIM cards, and mobile phones related to the case were seized. Approximately ₹43 lakh of the stolen funds in the accused’s bank accounts has been frozen. Efforts are underway to apprehend other accomplices, and investigations are ongoing to seize the assets of the accused, who are believed to have operated over 40 fake companies.
