Guwahati, Oct 1: In a significant operation, the Ludhiana Police, collaborating with Assam Police, arrested two suspects involved in a major cybercrime case in Guwahati. This operation marks one of the largest recoveries in India’s cybercrime history, with approximately Rs. 5.25 crore seized, along with several ATM cards and mobile phones from the accused.
The individuals arrested, Atanu Choudhary and Anand Kumar Choudhary, were apprehended in the Dispur area of Guwahati. The investigation began after SP Oswal, a well-known textile industrialist and Padma Bhushan awardee, reported that he had been defrauded of ₹7 crore by a group of scammers.
The perpetrators posed as officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), fabricating a fake Supreme Court hearing and using counterfeit arrest warrants to trick Oswal. They conducted a two-day “digital surveillance” operation to reinforce their deceitful claims, using fake arrest warrants allegedly issued by the Enforcement Directorate to intimidate him.
In response to Oswal’s complaint, the Ludhiana Police launched an investigation that led to the suspects’ arrest after a month of dedicated effort, with assistance from Assam Police. Ludhiana Police Commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal confirmed that they are working to apprehend seven additional gang members believed to be based in Assam and West Bengal.
The scammers initially managed to extract a significant amount from Oswal by presenting a forged Supreme Court order directing him to transfer ₹7 crore to a fictitious “Secret Supervision Account.” They even staged a fake online Supreme Court hearing and sent a counterfeit court order to Oswal via WhatsApp to bolster their credibility.
Fortunately, authorities were able to recover ₹5.25 crore of the funds, which has been returned to Oswal’s bank accounts. Following the successful operation, the Punjab Director General of Police praised the Assam Police for their vital support in solving the case.
