Surat, October 24 — Two men allegedly linked to an international cybercrime network operating from Dubai have been arrested by Surat City Police in an investigation into online fraud estimated at Rs 410 crore, police said on Saturday. The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal showed 338 complaints across 20 states and Union Territories linked to the bank accounts recovered during the investigation, according to police.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
The arrested men have been identified by police as Abdul Rehman, 23, a second-year civil engineering student at Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania, and Mohsin Khan alias Tuksu, 38, who worked as a labourer in the catering sector and is originally from Sheikhpura village in the Khatauli police station area of Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh. Police said both were apprehended near Civil Char Rasta in Surat on October 22 following three to four days of technical investigation. Rehman had returned to India three months ago and had travelled to Dubai once, police said.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
The investigation began after a complainant was allegedly duped of Rs 23.38 lakh through fake share-trading applications named HB Ultra and IISL Sec. Police said the accused allegedly promised high returns, persuaded the complainant to open a trading account on the applications and induced transfers to multiple bank accounts before preventing withdrawals. A case was registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
Investigators allege that Rehman established a fake firm, Mansuri Digital Trading, in Mohsin Khan's name to move money obtained through cyber fraud. Police said the firm used four current accounts and 12 savings accounts across the Central Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, Canara Bank and Axis Bank. One Mansuri Digital Trading account at the Central Bank of India recorded transactions totalling Rs 1.19 crore between August 24 and September 16, 2026, and an initial portal check showed 18 online complaints across different states linked to that account alone, officials said.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
Police allege Rehman worked for a Chinese cybercrime gang operating from Dubai, arranging mule bank accounts to receive fraud proceeds and converting the money into USDT cryptocurrency, transferred to the gang through wallets registered in other people's names in exchange for commissions. A search of his phone reportedly yielded details of 96 bank accounts, 30 debit cards issued in different individuals' names, applications of 13 banks and login details for 11 email IDs, along with Telegram chats indicating communication with members of the alleged gang over the past year. Two USDT wallets on the phone had recorded transactions worth Rs 19.14 lakh. Police also seized 12 mobile phones, 17 debit cards issued by Lithuanian and Indian banks, and two cheque books from the accused's residence.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
Of the 338 complaints, Maharashtra accounted for 66, followed by Karnataka with 51 and Tamil Nadu with 49; Uttar Pradesh had 22 and Gujarat 19, with the rest spread across 15 other states and Union Territories, police said. Surat City Police have urged residents not to allow others to use their bank accounts in return for commissions, warning that account holders could face legal action if their accounts are used to route cybercrime proceeds. The investigation is continuing. Awaaz Punjab is reporting the police allegations as allegations; no court has ruled on them.