A YOUNG Bollywood aspirant from Odisha who was doing small time modelling gigs and ended up becoming a handler of a network of hundreds of cyber mule accounts with links to international masterminds in Cambodia, was arrested by cyber crime sleuths of Pimpri Chinchwad. The investigators also arrested five syndicate associates from Jharkhand, Gujarat and Maharashtra who handled mule accounts in over 100 cyber crime cases registered in India.
The major breakthrough came when a cyber crime team of Pimpri Chinchwad police investigating a particular share trading cyber fraud registered earlier this month in which the victim was duped of `7.6 lakh on the promise of high returns. During the initial probe, zeroed in on a suspect, Shubham Londhe (24), from Pune’s Chikhali. Police found that Londhe was handling few mule accounts by himself and gave access of these accounts to another handler Sam David. It was later known Sam David was handling hundreds of mule accounts and was in contact with international cyber criminals in Cambodia.
“Probe revealed that Sam David was using at least 20 different phone numbers, had his primary base in Goa and was moving across India. We received a concrete tip off that he was coming to Hinjewadi on January 23, where he was nabbed. His real name is Sambidhkumar Shripati Nayak, 22, a resident of Rourkela, Odisha, a Bollywood aspirant. Probe revealed that he booked at least seven hotel rooms at various places in Pune where the mule account holders were staying,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) with Pimpri Chinchwad police, Sandeep Doiphode.
“Investigation revealed Nayak moved to Maharashtra to become a star in Bollywood. In Pune and Mumbai, he came in contact with people linked to international cyber crimes. He was operating a vast network of mule account holders across India and reported to masterminds in Cambodia,” said an officer.
Teams of cyber investigators checked the hotel rooms booked by Nayak. It was revealed that the kits of these mule accounts — comprising account details, debit card, SIM card linked to the account and other things — were moved online to avoid getting caught. From a flat in Bavdhan, the investigation teams arrested one Raj Ansh Singh (21), a student from Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh who received these kits and sent the details to masterminds in Cambodia. The questioning of suspects led police to arrest Himanshu Kumar Thakur (24) of Hazaribagh, Gaurav Sharma (40), from Gujarat and Ankush More (31), a Nashik businessman.
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