Lucknow: In a major breakthrough, the Lucknow Police Commissionerate’s PGI police station and Cyber Crime Cell have busted a massive interstate cyber fraud and online gambling racket. Fifteen tech-savvy cyber criminals, who duped hundreds across the country using a fake app named “Anna Reddy”, have been arrested.
How the Scam Worked
According to the police, the accused lured victims with promises of high returns on investments through fake online gambling and trading schemes. Victims were tricked into transferring large sums of money to various bank accounts, after which access to the platform was abruptly blocked. The fraudsters used multiple fake bank accounts, SIM cards, and digital devices to hide their tracks.
The Operation
Acting on a tip-off received on June 11, a joint team from PGI Police Station and the Cyber Crime Cell raided Flat No. 1105, A Tower, Shamiyan Mel Road, Lucknow, where 15 suspects were found running a makeshift cybercrime hub. The team recovered a large quantity of incriminating digital and physical evidence.
Shocking Discoveries
The police found a mini cyber-operation center set up inside the flat. It included:
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70 mobile phones
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11 laptops with 9 chargers
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16 mobile chargers
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115 ATM/debit cards
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25 checkbooks
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53 bank passbooks
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38 open SIM cards
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26 packed SIM cards
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9 PAN cards
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1 Wi-Fi camera
The Accused
The arrested individuals, aged between 19 and 29, hail from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh:
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Haripreet Singh (Lakhimpur, UP)
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Abhishek Kumar, Ashish Kumar, Mannu Kumar, Ritesh Singh, Iftekhar Ali, Shubham Soni, Sonu Ali, Karan Kumar, Vikas Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar (all from Siwan, Bihar)
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Sandeep Kumar (Deoria, UP)
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Ravi Singh (Chhapra, Bihar)
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Ritesh Singh (Gopalganj, Bihar)
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Manish Kumar (Bhopal, MP)
They have been booked under various sections of the IPC and the Information Technology Act (66C, 66D), along with BNS Sections 317(2), 318(4), 61(2), and 111(2)(ii).
Modus Operandi
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Fake Investment Schemes: Victims were misled through the “Anna Reddy” app.
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Multi-Layered Money Transfers: Stolen money was routed through several accounts to mask the origin.
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Online Gambling: The group also earned huge profits through illegal betting apps.
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Evidence Erasure: The gang regularly changed SIMs, mobile phones, and locations to evade law enforcement.
Foreign Links Under Investigation
Authorities have uncovered international links, with indications that the syndicate operated under remote instructions from locations including Sri Lanka and Singapore. Further investigation is ongoing.
Police Appeal
The police have urged the public to avoid clicking unknown links or downloading unverified apps like “Anna Reddy.” Any cyber fraud should be immediately reported via the 1930 helpline or at cybercrime.gov.in.
This case highlights the growing menace of digital fraud and underscores the need for vigilance and robust cyber laws.
