Three Held in Mumbai for Duping NGOs in Rs 18 Lakh Cyber Fraud Case: Bhopal Police

The Bhopal Cyber Crime Branch has arrested three members of a gang accused of cheating NGOs by promising fake donations. The arrests were made during raids in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. With these arrests, the total number of people held in the case has risen to six.

The arrested individuals include the alleged mastermind, Sandeep Pandey alias Yash (37), a resident of Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh. The other two are Anil Kumar Maurya (27), a graduate from Sultanpur, UP, now living in Thane, and Manish Pal (34), an auto driver from Mumbai.

According to police, the gang tricked the complainant by offering a fake donation of Rs 20 crore to his NGO. They held meetings in Bhopal and Indore to gain trust and eventually convinced the complainant to transfer Rs 18 lakh through bank transactions. After receiving the money, the accused switched off their phones and cut off all contact.

The scam was exposed when the victim reported the fraud. The Cyber Crime team launched a technical investigation and traced the mobile numbers and bank accounts used in the crime.

Police said Anil Maurya attended meetings and handed over a Rs 15 lakh fake demand draft to the victim. He later received a portion of the stolen money. Manish Pal helped set up a fake firm and opened a bank account in its name to receive the defrauded funds. Sandeep Pandey planned the entire operation, assigned roles, and managed the distribution of the money.

Officers also seized mobile phones used in the crime. Efforts are underway to track down other members of the gang.

Police have urged the public to report cyber frauds immediately by calling the Bhopal Cyber Crime Helpline at 9479990636 or the national cyber helpline at 1930.

Further investigation is in progress.