DEHRADUN: In a major crackdown on financial fraud, the Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a 21-year-old man from Noida for his alleged involvement in a sophisticated cyber swindle targeting dormant insurance policyholders.
The accused, identified as Suraj, a resident of Sector-31, Nithari, Noida, was arrested following an intensive investigation into a multi-lakh rupee fraud reported at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Dehradun.
The investigation was launched after a Patel Nagar resident filed a formal complaint.
The victim reported holding three PNB MetLife insurance policies, which had remained inactive for the past two years due to missed premium payments.
In October 2025, the victim received a call from an individual posing as an official from the insurance company.
The caller promised to revive the lapsed policies and offered lucrative returns, eventually connecting the victim to an accomplice posing as a "head clerk."
"The fraudsters preyed on the victim's vulnerability, manipulating him into depositing money into various bank accounts under the pretext of reviving his policies," said Ajay Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), STF.
"It was only after the victim contacted the official customer care service of the insurance firm that he realised the entire setup was a fabrication. He had been defrauded of a staggering Rs 25,90,000."
Following the complaint, the Cyber Crime Police registered a case under Section 318(4) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 66D of the IT Act.
Given the gravity of the offence, the STF launched a technical operation to trace the digital footprint of the perpetrators. By analysing bank account details, mobile numbers, and WhatsApp communication metadata provided by service providers and Meta, investigators identified Suraj as a key player in the operation.
"During interrogation, the accused confessed that he and his associates systematically targeted individuals with lapsed policies," SSP Singh told TNIE. "Suraj acted as a 'money mule' of sorts, providing his bank accounts to stash the proceeds of these cybercrimes in exchange for a commission," he added.
The police investigation has unearthed alarming financial activity associated with the accused.
While the victim’s specific case involves Rs 25.9 lakh, scrutiny of Suraj’s bank accounts revealed transactions totalling Rs 42 lakh over just a few months.
Authorities have already frozen Rs 20 lakh linked directly to the ongoing case. The STF is now coordinating with police departments in neighbouring states to track down the other members of the gang.