A lodge room in Vasai East, Maharashtra, was allegedly being used as the operating base for a cyber fraud network, until an observant hotel employee's suspicion brought the whole operation down. Police have arrested three Gujarat-based men and allege the gang targeted victims across nine states, causing losses exceeding ₹20 crore.
How the Gang Got Caught
The three men had reportedly been staying at the lodge for about a month, and their behaviour eventually raised flags. They stayed inside their room through the day, making frequent phone calls, and spent their nights drinking, rarely leaving the premises. An employee at the lodge, growing suspicious of the pattern, alerted Waliv police.
Acting on that tip, police raided the room on Wednesday and found all three men inside. Questioning revealed the room was being used to run cyber fraud operations, and a search of the premises turned up 20 mobile phones, five laptops, and a set of fake Aadhaar and PAN cards.
Who Was Arrested and What They're Accused Of
The three accused have been identified as Sheikh Aftab Ahmed (28), Sheikh Mohammad Saif (21), and Shahrukh Pathan (30), all residents of Vadodara, Gujarat. Aftab reportedly works as a driver and Pathan as a delivery agent in their day jobs. Police allege the trio was involved in sextortion, digital arrest scams, and other forms of cyber fraud, using malicious APK files sent to potential victims and threatening calls impersonating law enforcement to intimidate people into transferring money.
Following the Money
Two bank accounts linked to the arrested men have become a central part of the investigation, with around ₹1.5 crore in suspected fraud proceeds traced to them. As many as 25 separate complaints have reportedly already been registered in connection with these accounts, suggesting the network's reach went well beyond Vasai or Gujarat.
Investigators are now conducting a detailed auditing services in India-style review of the complete transaction trail linked to these accounts, alongside the mobile numbers, electronic devices, and communication records tied to the accused. The five laptops and 20 phones recovered are expected to yield crucial digital evidence, including details on victims, payment records, and other members of the network. Police are also examining links between the accused and separate mule account holders operating elsewhere in the country, trying to determine whether those account holders knowingly participated in the fraud or had their accounts misused without their knowledge.
What's Next
A case has been registered against the three accused under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act. Four other alleged members of the gang remain at large, and police are actively searching for them while also working to identify additional mule account holders and victims connected to the wider network. The recovered fake Aadhaar and PAN cards are also under scrutiny, as investigators try to establish whether these documents were used to open bank accounts, obtain mobile connections, or access other financial and digital services, and whose identities may have been misused in the process.
The broader goal now is to map out the full structure of the alleged operation and establish exactly how much money was involved, work that could help investigators unravel the wider fraud network believed to be operating across nine states.
FAQs
Q1. How much money was allegedly lost to this cyber fraud network?
Police allege losses exceeding ₹20 crore, with around ₹1.5 crore in suspected proceeds traced to two bank accounts linked to the arrested men.
Q2. What methods did the accused allegedly use to defraud victims?
They reportedly sent malicious APK files to victims and used digital arrest-style calls to threaten and pressure them into transferring money.
Q3. What did police recover from the lodge room?
Officers recovered 20 mobile phones, five laptops, and fake Aadhaar and PAN cards.
Q4. Are all members of the alleged gang in custody?
No. Three men have been arrested, but police are still searching for four other alleged members of the network.