The Surat City Police Cyber Crime Branch has arrested a 46-year-old Kerala woman in connection with an alleged ₹13.10 lakh online investment fraud, in which the victim was lured with promises of share-trading returns exceeding five per cent. The accused, identified as Saleena Thadiyan, was traced to Kerala following a technical investigation led by Police Inspector Y. S. Sisodiya.

How the Fraud Was Carried Out

According to the police, the accused allegedly conspired with others — including an absconding co-accused — to cheat the victim by first adding the complainant to a group on a messaging application. The group was used to circulate attractive claims about profits available through their purported share-trading company.

The accused then shared a link to a fake website, where the complainant was asked to register and create a personal account. The platform was allegedly designed to create the illusion of mounting profits, inducing the victim to transfer ₹13.10 lakh to accounts provided by the group. When the complainant subsequently sought a withdrawal, the funds were not released — prompting the registration of a cybercrime complaint.

Forged SEBI Documents Used to Build Trust

In a particularly audacious element of the scheme, the accused allegedly circulated forged documents purportedly issued by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), including a document on official-looking letterhead dated 27 July 2026. Bank account details for receiving transfers were also shared through the group messaging channel.

The use of fabricated regulatory documents signals a sophisticated operation designed to bypass the scepticism of potential victims — a tactic law-enforcement agencies have flagged as increasingly common in high-value investment frauds.

Role of the Bank Account

Saleena Thadiyan allegedly opened a joint current account with Federal Bank in the name of a firm she set up with her son, and allowed an absconding accused to use the account for routing cyber fraud proceeds. In exchange, she reportedly received a three per cent commission on transactions passing through the account.

A scrutiny of the account through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal uncovered 12 complaints from different states. Four FIRs had already been registered in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Telangana. According to the police, suspected cyber fraud proceeds totalling ₹33.40 lakh had been credited to the account, with total transactions amounting to ₹39.70 lakh recorded between 9 January and 29 July 2026.

Legal Sections Invoked

The case was registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station, Surat, under Sections 318(4), 336(2), 338, 336(3), 340(2), 61(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (as amended in 2008). The co-accused involved in operating the fraudulent scheme remains at large.

Police Advisory

The Surat City Police have urged the public to exercise caution when approached with unsolicited online share-market schemes promising unusually high returns, and to independently verify the credentials of any firm or individual before transferring money. Victims of financial cyber fraud are advised to immediately dial the national cybercrime helpline, 1930, as prompt reporting can improve the chances of freezing fraudulent funds before they are moved.