Gandhinagar: The Gujarat Cyber Centre of Excellence (CID Crime) on Tuesday announced that it has busted an interstate cybercrime network involved in fraud exceeding ₹53 crore, with 10 accused arrested from Anand and Ahmedabad. The racket was linked to 132 complaints registered across nearly 20 states.

According to the police, the arrests were made using technical surveillance, which helped identify key operatives facilitating the movement of fraudulently obtained funds on a commission basis.

Investigations revealed that around ₹53.55 crore was routed through the network in connection with 132 cybercrime cases nationwide. Analysis of the accused persons’ mobile phones uncovered details of 197 bank accounts, of which 60 were actively used in these fraud cases.

Police said the accused targeted individuals by luring them into renting out their bank accounts, which were then used to channel illegal funds. The frauds included investment scams, UPI-related frauds, and trading scams.

State-wise data showed that Gujarat recorded 22 complaints, followed by Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (13), Uttar Pradesh and Kerala (10 each), Rajasthan (9), Tamil Nadu (8), Haryana and West Bengal (7 each), Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (6 each), Delhi (5), Bihar and Punjab (3 each), Assam, Chhattisgarh and Odisha (2 each), and Puducherry, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh (1 each).

Those arrested include Krupal Desai, Nizamuddin Diwan, Moin Malek, and Sahilmia Malek from Petlad; Sohil Malek from Borsad; Jignesh Patel and Vanraj Bharwad from Kanjari in Kheda; Tushar Valand from Boriavi; Rickren alias Rocky, also known as Pandit Patel, from Mahudha; and Akash Patel from Kathwada in Ahmedabad.

Police seized 11 mobile phones, three cheque books, three passbooks, and three debit cards from the accused.

Police have urged the public to remain cautious, advising against renting out bank accounts or SIM cards to unknown individuals. They also warned people not to trust social media advertisements promising unusually high returns in a short period. DeshGujarat