Hyderabad Cops Arrest Multi-Scam Fraudster

The accused, Kandukuru Sultan Ahmad Khan (28), a native of Kadiri, Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh, was traced and arrested in Tirupati by the CCCU special team, police officials said.

According to DCP (cyber crimes) Dara Kavitha, the accused contacted a city-based victim on August 21, 2025, via WhatsApp, after adding him to a group named “Navuma 915 Insights Stocks.”

Other members of the group — now identified as co-accused — lured the victim into investing through a fake trading app called “Nuvama Insights Stocks,” promising high returns.

Encouraged by initial profits displayed on the app, the victim invested Rs 24.71 lakh via UPI and bank transfers. The app falsely showed his account balance as Rs 40.6 lakh. However, when he attempted to withdraw funds, his request was denied, and he was pressured to deposit an additional Rs 23 lakh. By the time the victim realised that he was duped, he lost Rs 47.71 lakh.

Following his complaint, crime no. 1824/2025 was registered at the City Cyber Crime Police Station, and a special team was constituted to trace the perpetrators.

During investigation, police discovered that the fraudulent transactions were routed through a bank account in the name of “Sultan Imports & Exports” maintained with Karur Vysya Bank.
The accused, Kandukuru Sultan Ahmad Khan, was subsequently arrested in Tirupati, close to his native town Kadiri.

During interrogation, the accused confessed that he supplied fake bank accounts on a commission basis via a Telegram channel named “Pandapay Official Channel” (t.me/xmaozhif). He revealed that a Telegram user with the handle “P@anda_566_66” contacted him regarding an organised scam that required multiple bank accounts to launder stolen funds in exchange for commissions.

On September 20, 2025, Sultan met three individuals — identified as Teja, Ajay, and Prabhu — at Kacheguda Railway Station, where he handed over his Karur Vysya Bank cheque book, ATM card, and SIM card.

On September 23, he received $2,100 into his Binance crypto wallet from the syndicate, converted it into Indian rupees, and deposited Rs 2 lakh into his DBS Bank account.

Further investigation revealed that the accused provided several more accounts on commission — including a Karnataka Bank account in his own name — for which he received 20 per cent commission. He also opened multiple other current and savings accounts, including one at City Union Bank.

The accused and his associates defrauded unsuspecting victims across India, committing at least 15 known cases — including eight in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and others in Gurugram (Haryana), Thane (Maharashtra), Lucknow (UP), Delhi, Bengaluru, Udupi, Kancheepuram, Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu), and Ranchi (Jharkhand).

From the accused, police seized a mobile phone, debit cards of DBS Bank, Bank of Baroda, City Union Bank, Karur Vysya Bank, and Karnataka Bank

The operation was led by Inspector S. Naresh, assisted by SI B. Manmohan Goud and constables K. Rakesh Sagar, R. Murali Krishna, and B. Manikantha. The accused, along with seized property, was produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody.

Citizens are urged to stay vigilant against online investment and trading scams. The following precautions are advised:

Verify investment advisor’s credentials with Sebi website before investing

Be cautious of “guaranteed” or unusually high returns; “risk-free” promises are red flags.

Avoid acting under pressure or on unsolicited messages.

Never share sensitive information such as PAN, Aadhaar, bank details, OTPs.

Report suspicious activity and preserve evidence such as screenshots, chats, transactions and contact your bank.

File complaints through 1930 (Cyber Crime Helpline) or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in.