Police traced accused after receiving complaint from Sion-based man duped of Rs 4.54 lakh; recover entire amount thanks to victim’s swift reaction
Manjeet Singh, the alleged mastermind, is arrested by the Sion police team in Delhi
The Sion police have busted a Delhi-based call centre involved in a sophisticated cyber fraud racket, where seven individuals were allegedly employed to scam victims through bogus credit card schemes. The scam came to light after a Sion resident lost over Rs 4.5 lakh and promptly lodged a complaint. Following a detailed investigation, police arrested the alleged mastermind and recovered the entire lost amount.
Manjeet Singh (squatting), the mastermind of the scam, in the custody of the Sion police. Pic/By Special Arrangement
According to the complainant, Mayuresh Shinde (name changed), 31, he received a call from an unknown number. The caller, posing as a bank manager, confirmed several of Shinde’s personal details — including his parents’ names, credit card number, and PAN — which made the call appear legitimate. Believing it was a genuine call from the bank, Shinde let his guard down. The caller then offered to increase his credit card limit.
Complainant loses Rs 4.5 lakh after a call from fraudsters. He quickly reports the incident on the cybercrime portal. Illustrations/Uday Mohite
When Shinde agreed, he was sent an OTP, which he shared. Moments later, Rs 4,54,717 was fraudulently debited from his bank account. Shinde immediately reported the incident on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (1930) and later registered a formal complaint with the Sion police.
Following the registration of the FIR, the Sion police launched an investigation, with the cyber cell team led by API Dattaray Khade conducting a technical analysis. The trail led them to Faridabad, Uttar Pradesh — the location linked to the SIM card used in the fraud. “The number through which the victim was contacted was traced to Faridabad. It was registered under the name Krishna Bhatia, but we later learned he had sold the SIM card to one Manjeet Singh for Rs 5000 to Rs 6000,” said API Khade.
The victim then approaches the Sion police, who eventually trace the accused, an Uttar Pradesh native, to a call centre office in Delhi
Singh, a native of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, was eventually traced to Delhi. When the police team reached the location, they discovered a full-fledged office setup, where eight individuals — including Singh — were operating the bogus call centre.
The operation
The call centre, reportedly the brainchild of Singh, had been set up on May 2. Employees were hired specifically for its operations, with roles that included making cold calls, analysing data, and contacting potential victims. Each was offered a monthly salary of R15,000 for their work in the fraudulent scheme.
While Singh acted as the “boss” of the operation, two unidentified associates were responsible for siphoning money from victims’ bank accounts and handling hawala transactions. “The two associates were alerted after Singh’s arrest and are currently absconding. We are tracking them,” said API Khade. He added that the call centre employees have been issued notices and are being questioned as part of the ongoing investigation.
The complainant’s money is recovered from Singh, who is currently in police custody
During the course of the investigation, police discovered 16 additional complaints filed on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) by individuals from across the country.
Identical modus
“The phone numbers used in those 16 cases match this one, and the modus operandi is identical,” said API Khade. “We will now streamline these complaints as part of a consolidated investigation and obtain the arrested accused’s bank statements to trace the transaction history.” Singh was arrested on Monday and has been remanded in police custody until June 7. Investigators plan to interrogate him further to uncover the full extent of the operation and identify others involved in the scam. Fortunately for the victim, the police successfully recovered all his money. “The money will be handed back to the victim once the necessary formalities are completed,” confirmed a senior police official.
“No bank directly calls customers to offer an increase or decrease in their credit card limit. They will never ask for OTPs or block cards without official intimation. If citizens receive such calls, they should either visit the bank branch in person or use the branch’s official email ID to verify the information. In case of any suspicious activity or financial loss, please dial 1930 — the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal — or visit the nearest police station,” advised the senior police official.
In this case, the police commended the complainant’s prompt action in first registering the complaint on the NCRP and then approaching the police station, which helped in the swift investigation and recovery of the lost money.
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