AHMEDABAD: The Cyber Centre of Excellence of the Gujarat CID has busted a pan-India cyber fraud syndicate operating through a call centre in Ahmedabad. The syndicate has allegedly cheated about 5,000 people of crores of rupees by luring them into buying purported Ayurvedic sexual wellness medicines and later extorting money through threat of fake police cases on buyers.
The police have arrested seven people, including alleged mastermind Devendrasinh Rajawat of Etawah in Uttar Pradesh and a woman, and detected suspicious banking transactions of more than Rs 5 crore.
The racket was busted after the Cyber Centre of Excellence raided a 15-seater call centre in Vastral area of Ahmedabad on July 10. Simultaneous raids in Uttar Pradesh led to the arrests, while investigators suspect the network operated across several states.
According to investigators, the accused promoted “100% guaranteed” Ayurvedic treatment and sexual performance-enhancing medicines through social media platforms. Interested customers were contacted by call centre executives, posing as doctors or medical experts, and persuaded to place online orders, which were delivered via courier services.
The fraud, however, began after the delivery. Victims allegedly received calls from syndicate members impersonating police officers, doctors or government officials, claiming the medicines purchased were banned stimulant drugs. To lend credibility to these claims, the accused cited fake FIRs registered at police stations and officers of higher authorities located near the victims’ residences. Customers were then threatened with arrest unless they paid “settlement” amount ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 1 lakh. Even those who refused to accept the parcel were allegedly threatened and forced to transfer money.
Investigators said the syndicate spent nearly Rs 30,000 every day on social media advertisements and maintained a digital database containing details of thousands of potential targets. The probe has also revealed plans to establish another similar call centre in Bidhuna in Uttar Pradesh.
Searches at Ahmedabad premises resulted in seizure of 44 mobile phones, 23 CPUs, two laptops, a monitor, three caller-ID telephones, three pen drives, five bank passbooks, a cheque book, QR code records, caller scripts, two cartons of energy-boosting medicines and fake rubber stamps bearing the names of Tanvi Enterprises, Aswani Ayurved, DR Ayurved and Ayurshakti Ayurved.
The financial probe has so far identified 14 bank accounts linked to the accused with suspicious transactions of more than Rs 5 crore. Investigators also found six complaints registered against these accounts.