Four private bank staff held for helping 'digital arrest' fraudsters

THE GUJARAT police have arrested four employees of a private sector bank and their accomplice for allegedly helping international cyber criminals in opening bank accounts without KYC and transferring proceeds of crime though them, an official said.

The fraud came to light during an investigation by the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch into a case of 'digital arrest'.

As part of the plan, two bank accounts were opened in as many branches of Yes Bank in Gujarat and Rajasthan by four bank employees, including a deputy manager, and they used these accounts for extorting ₹11.5 million (£107,380.19) from a senior citizen, ACP Hardik Makadia said on Thursday.

The arrested accused were identified as Jigar Joshi, Jatin Chokhawala, Dipak Soni, Mavji Patel and Rajasthan-resident Anilkumar Manda, he said.

Of these, Chokhawala and Soni work as 'personal banker' in Yes Bank's branch in Deesa town of Gujarat's Banaskantha district, while Patel is posted as deputy manager in the same branch, Makadia said.

Manda works as a personal banker with Yes Bank's Merta branch in Rajasthan, while Joshi gave his bank account to these accused to transfer the proceeds of the crime, the official said.

"On November 16, a senior citizen approached us with a complaint claiming that some persons posing as police officers from Delhi placed him under 'digital arrest' and extorted money. The fraudsters intimidated the complainant saying his Aadhaar card was used in a criminal activity," Makadia said.

Due to the fear of getting arrested, the complainant transferred ₹11.5 million to a bank account. The fraudsters had promised that they would return the money after verification, he added.

During investigation, the Cyber Crime Branch identified three bank accounts which were used by the cyber criminals for accepting and transferring the amount, Makadia said.

"One bank account in the name of Balaji Enterprise was opened in Merta branch of Rajasthan, while another one in the name of Shivraj, who is already under arrest, was opened on November 13 at Deesa branch of Yes Bank. The next day, ₹10 million were deposited in the same account," he said.

The third bank account was of Jigar Joshi, who had agreed to let his account be used by cyber criminals for some commission, the ACP said.

"Four employees of Yes Bank were in touch with the agents of international cyber crooks operating from outside India. Both the bank accounts in Merta and Deesa were opened without any KYC or address proof. The accused used to get 10 per cent commission on every deposit made in those accounts," the ACP said.

After the complainant deposited ₹10 million on November 13, the accused staffers at Deesa helped the agents of the fraudster in withdrawing ₹2.5 million the next day. Then, ₹7.5 million were transferred to Joshi's bank account as he also agreed to work for commission, Makadia said.