Latest news with #PratikTanpure
Hindustan Times
18 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
CBI nabs accused who provided SIM cards, mule bank accounts to cyber frauds
MUMBAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a Kalyan resident as part of its crackdown on a cybercrime syndicate specialising in perpetrating investment frauds, and conducted multi-state searches at 10 locations, including in the city. The agency's actions were part of its probe into an investment fraud case in which funds worth ₹160 crore were allegedly defrauded from victims. A special court sent the arrested accused to judicial custody. The syndicate allegedly duped gullible victims by entrapping them with the lucrative offer of shares of reputed listed companies at discounted rates and then misappropriated their funds, CBI officials said on Friday. The accused, identified as Pratik Tanpure, a resident of Kalyan, was arrested by the CBI after his alleged role as a logistics provider to such criminal networks surfaced in its probe into an investment fraud case against the syndicate. CBI's probe revealed that the accused was allegedly actively involved in providing pre-activated SIM cards and mule bank accounts to cybercrime networks, thereby enabling and sustaining their illegal operations, agency officials said. During a search at his premises, the CBI recovered incriminating material in his possession, which is being assessed for their evidentiary value, agency officials said. Apart from the premises of the arrested accused, the agency also carried out searches at nine other locations in Mumbai, Pune and Nashik in Maharashtra, Hisar (Haryana), Delhi and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) as part of its crackdown, internally known as Operation Chakra-V. The CBI's case pertains to an organised, orchestrated fraud wherein unsuspecting individuals were allegedly cheated through a fraudulent mobile application and WhatsApp groups, the agency officials said. The perpetrators deceitfully lured innocent investors by promising shares of reputed listed companies at discounted rates. Once the victims invested their hard-earned money, the accused misappropriated the funds, causing significant financial loss to the investors, the officials said. During the coordinated searches, the CBI seized digital and documentary evidence from the premises of the accused persons, unearthing the modus operandi employed to dupe innocent investors, the officials said, adding that 'Operation Chakra-V' underscores the central agency's unwavering commitment to dismantling cyber-crime syndicates and infrastructure supporting commission of such offences. Last September, as part of a similar crackdown, the CBI had arrested 26 alleged cybercriminals, including 10 in Pune, who used illegal call centres across four Indian cities to cheat people globally, especially in the United States. In the same month, the CBI also busted another transnational cybercrime network by arresting its key operator from Mumbai.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
CBI arrests Kalyan man for supplying pre-activated SIM cards to fraudsters
The CBI arrested Pratik Tanpure from Kalyan who allegedly supplied pre-activated SIM cards to cyber fraudsters and allowed his bank accounts to launder money. The CBI stated that the case involved a well-orchestrated fraud in which unsuspecting individuals were deceived via a fraudulent mobile application and WhatsApp groups. The perpetrators lured innocent investors by promising shares of reputed listed companies at discounted rates. Once the victims invested their hard-earned money, the accused misappropriated the criminals opened mule bank accounts with the help of forged documents for collecting-laying fraud amounts. The CBI carried out searches at 10 locations in Mumbai, Delhi, Hisar, Lucknow, Pune and Nashik under Operation Chakra-V (operation to combat cyber crime) and seized digital Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Operation Chakra-V: CBI arrests one man in cyber-enabled fraud case, conducts searches across four States
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted searches at 10 locations across four States and arrested a person allegedly involved in a cyber-enabled organised investment fraud case. The searches were carried out in Delhi, Hisar in Haryana, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, and Mumbai, Pune, and Nashik in Maharashtra. The accused named Pratik Tanpure was arrested in Mumbai. Also read: 136 cyber criminals nabbed across Tamil Nadu in operation 'Thiraineekku-II' 'The accused was actively involved in supplying pre-activated SIM cards and mule bank accounts to cybercriminal networks, thereby enabling and sustaining their illegal operations. Substantial incriminating material was recovered from his possession during the searches,' the agency said. The case is related to a well-orchestrated 'fraud' where unsuspecting individuals were cheated through a fraudulent mobile application and WhatsApp groups. 'The perpetrators deceitfully lured innocent investors by promising shares of reputed listed companies at discounted rates. Once the victims invested their hard-earned money, the accused misappropriated the funds, causing significant financial loss to the public,' it said. Also read: Cyber fraud complaints of over ₹10 lakh, lodged via helpline or portal, to automatically convert into FIRs Last month, the agency had arrested 11 alleged cybercriminals. In one case, in which six people were arrested on the charge of cheating Japanese citizens, 19 locations in Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh were searched. The accused were identified as Ashu Singh (Delhi); Kapil Ghakhar (Panipat, Haryana); Rohit Maurya from Ayodhya, and Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj, and Adarsh Kumar from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. 'As part of its ongoing efforts to combat cyber-enabled financial crimes under Operation Chakra-V, the CBI on May 28 conducted coordinated operation culminated in the arrest of six key operatives and the dismantling of two illegal call centres engaged in a sophisticated transnational tech support scam targeting Japanese citizens,' the CBI had said. Also read: Operation Chakra V: CBI gets hold of four 'kingpins' in 'digital arrest' fraud In the second case, during the searches conducted at 42 locations across eight States — Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu — as part of the ongoing Operation Chakra-V, the CBI had arrested five persons for allegedly selling SIM cards without authorisation. The SIM cards were being used for illegal activities such as 'digital arrest' scam, impersonation, fraudulent advertisements, and investment/UPI frauds.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Operation Chakra-V: CBI raids 10 locations across Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Delhi, Hisar, Lucknow for crackdown on cyber-enabled financial crimes
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Friday carried out raids at 10 locations across Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Delhi, Hisar, and Lucknow as part of its nationwide crackdown on cyber-enabled financial crimes under Operation Chakra-V. The central agency also arrested a man from Kalyan in Maharashtra's Thane district during the raids. According to the CBI, the massive search action was initiated in connection with a case that pertains to a well-orchestrated fraud where unsuspecting individuals were cheated through a fraudulent mobile application and WhatsApp groups. 'The perpetrators deceitfully lured innocent investors by promising shares of reputed listed companies at discounted rates. Once the victims invested their hard-earned money, the accused misappropriated the funds, causing significant financial loss to the public,' the agency stated. During the searches, the central probe agency seized incriminating digital and documentary evidence from the premises of the accused persons, exposing the intricate modus operandi employed to dupe innocent investors. The Kalyan man arrested by the CBI has been identified as one Pratik Tanpure. He was actively supplying pre-activated SIM cards and mule bank accounts to cybercriminal networks, thereby enabling and sustaining their illegal operations. Substantial incriminating material was seized from his possession during the searches, the CBI said. According to the CBI, Operation Chakra-V is aimed at dismantling cybercrime syndicates and infrastructure supporting the commission of such offences.
Hans India
a day ago
- Hans India
CBI arrests Mumbai-based cyber fraudster during nationwide raids
Mumbai/New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested a cyber fraudster in Mumbai and seized incriminating documents during an ongoing nationwide crackdown on cyber-enabled financial crimes under Operation Chakra-V, an official said on Friday. Pratik Tanpure, a resident of Kalyan, was arrested during searches at 10 locations across Delhi, Hisar, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, and Nashik in connection with a cyber enabled organised investment fraud case. He was involved in supplying pre-activated SIM cards and mule bank accounts to cybercriminal networks, thereby, enabling and sustaining their illegal operations, the official said. A mule account is a bank account used by criminals to transfer stolen money. The person who owns the account is called a "money mule". Substantial incriminating material was recovered from Tanpure during the searches, the CBI said in a statement. The case pertains to a well-orchestrated fraud where unsuspecting individuals were cheated through a fraudulent mobile application and WhatsApp groups, the CBI said. The perpetrators deceitfully lured innocent investors by promising shares of reputed listed companies at discounted rates. Once the victims invested their hard-earned money, the accused misappropriated the funds, the federal agency said. During the coordinated searches, the CBI seized incriminating digital and documentary evidence from the premises of the accused, exposing the intricate modus operandi employed to dupe innocent investors, the agency said. Operation Chakra-V of the CBI is focused on dismantling cybercrime syndicates and supporting infrastructure. The federal agency's operation comes close to Home Minister Amit Shah's direction se to use Artificial Intelligence for identifying mule accounts. HM Shah said over 19 lakh such accounts had been caught and transactions worth Rs 2,038 crore prevented in the fight against cybercrime. Earlier, chairing a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Home Affairs on 'Cyber Security and Cyber Crime', HM Shah said considering the spike in cyber financial frauds, the Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C)'s 1930 helpline is being promoted as a one-point solution offering various services, such as blocking cards.
