Telangana: Four Held for Cyber Crime Targeting Online Centres, Retail Shops

Karimnagar: A cybercrime gang targeting online centres and retail shops across the country was busted by the Vemulawada Town Police. Four members of the gang were arrested during an operation on Monday, while the alleged mastermind remains at large.

District superintendent of police Akhil Mahajan revealed that the arrested suspects — Chirag Ramesh Pethad (25), a mobile promoter; Vilesh Patel (30), a driver; Nilesh Jai Singh (34), a water supplier; and Jitendra Somabhai (43), a private transport worker — all hail from Bhiwandi in Maharashtra. The main accused, Dasari Murali (45), is believed to be based in Gujarat and is absconding.

According to police, the gang defrauded online centre owners by posing as doctors, businessmen, or other professionals to trick victims into transferring large sums of money under the guise of legitimate business transactions. In one instance, Murali impersonated a doctor from a civil hospital to secure a transfer, while in another, the gang targeted a fast-food centre, convincing the owner to transfer Rs 65,000 as part of an order before demanding additional funds later.

The scam, which defrauded victims of over Rs 30 lakh, came to light after multiple complaints were filed with the Vemulawada Police. A special team comprising inspector Veer Prasad and officers from the Cybercrime Unit employed technical surveillance to track down the suspects in Bhiwandi. Meanwhile, a manhunt is underway for Murali, the key suspect behind the operation.

SP Mahajan commended the police team for their swift action in cracking the case.