AHMEDABAD: Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police have busted a fake government tender racket in which three accused allegedly posed as officials of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to dupe a businessman of Rs 9.60 lakh.
The accused allegedly used AI-assisted forged documents, fake employee ID cards, fabricated tender forms and purchase orders, and a fake Civil Hospital email ID to convince the complainant that his company had secured a contract to supply 2,000 disposable bags to the hospital.
Ahmedabad's cyber crime investigators have arrested three persons in connection with the alleged Rs 9.60 lakh tender fraud after tracing digital and financial footprints across different parts of the city.
The case came to light after a resident of the Satellite area in Ahmedabad City approached the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police Station, Ahmedabad City, alleging that he had been targeted by a group posing as officials of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
According to the complaint, the accused first established contact with the complainant through different mobile numbers and gradually built his confidence by presenting themselves as government officials.
Instead of asking for a legitimate tender process, they allegedly demanded money under several pretexts. The complainant was allegedly told to pay Rs 9.60 lakh towards various charges, including a ZED certificate, CPCP certificate, OEM registration on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), NSIC certificate and other supposed processing fees.
Trusting the documents and communications, the complainant allegedly transferred the money. After realising that the entire tender process was fabricated, he approached the cyber crime police.
Following registration of the complaint, investigators sought technical details related to the phone numbers, bank accounts and digital communications allegedly used in the fraud.
The police used technical evidence to identify the suspects operating from different parts of Ahmedabad. The investigation eventually led police to Rahul, Vipul Tomar, and Aman Kushwaha, who were subsequently arrested in connection with the case.
Police have alleged that Rahul played the key role in designing and executing the entire fraud. Investigators said he arranged the SIM cards and bank accounts required for the operation and allegedly contacted the complainant, posing as Rajesh Rawal from the purchase department of Civil Hospital.
Of the alleged fraud amount, Rs 2.15 lakh was deposited into a bank account in Rahul's own name, while another Rs 7.45 lakh was allegedly routed into the account of co-accused Vipul Tomar.
The deception, investigators said, went beyond phone calls.
Rahul allegedly used AI tools to prepare forged Civil Hospital documents, including employee identity cards, tender forms, purchase orders and letters carrying purported official signatures and stamps.
Police further alleged that the accused created a fake email ID resembling that of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and used it to communicate with the complainant.
The accused also conducted communication through Google Meet, further strengthening the impression that the complainant was dealing with government officials.
In a further attempt to make the operation appear legitimate, Rahul allegedly visited the complainant's office while posing as a Civil Hospital employee.
Investigators have alleged that Vipul Tomar played a crucial role in the money trail by providing his bank account for receiving the fraud proceeds.
According to police, Tomar allegedly handed over his account details to Aman Kushwaha, who subsequently provided them to Rahul.
Rahul allegedly transferred Rs 7.45 lakh of the complainant's money into Tomar's account. Police said Tomar subsequently withdrew the money through a cheque, retained his alleged commission and sent the remaining amount to Rahul through Aman.
The third accused, Aman Kushwaha, allegedly acted as another link between the fraudsters and the complainant.
According to the police investigation, Aman allegedly communicated with the complainant over phone calls and WhatsApp chats while posing as Shailesh Singh, an official of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
He allegedly told the complainant that he could help arrange the certificates required for securing government tenders and used this claim to facilitate further payments.
Police suspect that Aman also assisted Rahul in transferring the money collected from the complainant. Subsequently, he received a share of the alleged fraud proceeds.
The arrests have exposed a growing pattern in which cyber fraudsters allegedly combine social engineering, impersonation, forged government documents and digital tools such as AI to make fake tender operations appear authentic.
The investigation is now focused on establishing the full financial trail, identifying whether the accused targeted other businesses using similar methods and determining the extent to which AI-generated documents were used in the alleged racket.