Six Arrested in ₹20 Million Dubai-Linked Investment Scam

Indian police have dismantled a cyber fraud network with ties to a Dubai-based syndicate, arresting six men over a ₹20 million (US$230,000) online investment scam that targeted a retired Indian Air Force officer. The investigation by the Gurugram Police cyber crime unit traced stolen funds through shell companies and bank accounts to a rented flat in Bahadurgarh that served as the operation's hub.

The case came to light after the victim approached police when he was asked to deposit more money to withdraw his investment and promised profits, a hallmark of online investment fraud. An FIR was registered on January 30 and the case was handed to the special cyber crime unit in Sector 56, Gurugram.

How the Fraud Worked

Police said the gang lured the victim through fake WhatsApp groups impersonating reputed companies and a fraudulent investment app promising high returns. When the victim tried to withdraw his supposed profits, he was told to deposit even more money to unlock his account.

Investigators traced approximately ₹6 lakh of the cheated amount to a bank account operated by Sonu Chaudhary, who admitted opening it at the direction of Puneet Chaudhary and handing over control for ₹60,000.

The Dubai Connection

Puneet Chaudhary, 27, was identified as a key operative. His passport showed regular travel to Dubai over four years, during which he supplied more than 200 bank accounts to the overseas fraud ring. He also worked with a Dubai-based handler named Rudra.

Puneet and Samrat Sibbal, 46, were part of a network supplying bank accounts opened using fake firms and forged documents. These accounts were used to receive and layer proceeds of cyber fraud, with the accused earning roughly 5% commission per transaction.

The Bahadurgarh Hub

Puneet rented a flat in Omaxe City, Bahadurgarh, for ₹17,000 per month. From there, the gang created shell firms, forged documents and fake email IDs, and opened bank accounts before handing them to the overseas syndicate. Three other suspects, Abhishek, Vikas and Dushyant, were employed on monthly salaries of ₹15,000 to ₹20,000 to assist.

Arrests and Evidence

All six suspects were arrested from Ghaziabad, Bahadurgarh and Delhi: Sonu Chaudhary (23), Puneet Chaudhary (27), Vikas (22), Abhishek Sharma (23), Dushyant Chaudhary (25) and Samrat Sibbal (46).

Police recovered three laptops, 16 mobile phones, 90 ATM cards, 42 cheque books, 33 SIM cards, stamps of four firms, and Puneet's passport. The recovered bank accounts have been linked to at least 12 cyber fraud complaints across India: six in Rajasthan, two each in Telangana and Karnataka, and one each in Jharkhand and Kerala.

Next Steps

The accused have been remanded to two days of police custody as investigators trace the money trail, identify other syndicate members, and examine links to similar cases nationwide.