Surat cyber police arrest absconding accused in ₹19.60 lakh investment fraud
Synopsis
A ₹19.60 lakh share-market fraud in Surat has unravelled a mule account network stretching across multiple states — with a single bank account logging nearly ₹2.73 crore in suspect transactions and drawing 37 complaints on the national cyber crime portal. The arrest of a third accused under Operation Mule Hunt 2.0 signals Gujarat Police are tracing the money trail, not just the front-end fraudsters.
Key Takeaways
Vivek Beldiya , 30 , was arrested by Surat City Cyber Crime Police as an absconding accused in a ₹19.60 lakh investment fraud case.
The fraud was operated through a scheme called 'BRP Fund 100 - Day Wealth Leap Program' , promising returns of up to 390 per cent .
A mule bank account linked to the case recorded total transactions of ₹2,72,97,899.50 and attracted 37 complaints from multiple states on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal .
Two other accused — Satyajit Manjeraiya and Pankajkumar Ramani — had been arrested earlier in the same case.
The arrests are part of Operation Mule Hunt 2.0 , Gujarat Police's ongoing crackdown on bank accounts used to route cyber-fraud proceeds.
Police have urged investors to verify SEBI registration of platforms before transferring funds.
The Surat City Cyber Crime Police have arrested an absconding accused in a ₹19.60 lakh investment fraud case under Operation Mule Hunt 2.0, with investigators discovering that a bank account allegedly used to channel cyber-fraud proceeds recorded total transactions of nearly ₹2.73 crore. The arrest adds to two earlier detentions in the same case and forms part of Gujarat Police's broader crackdown on mule account networks.
How the Fraud Was Carried Out
According to police, the accused allegedly lured the complainant's son into investing in the share market and a scheme called 'BRP Fund 100 - Day Wealth Leap Program', promising returns of up to 390 per cent. Contact was reportedly established through a WhatsApp group named 'BRP Fund-Grow Together-008' and the website app.toloyyi.com.
The victim was persuaded to log into the website, where fabricated profits were displayed to create the illusion of genuine returns. Money was then allegedly routed through multiple bank accounts before the complainant reported a loss of ₹19.60 lakh to the Cyber Crime Cell in Surat.
The Accused and Their Roles
The latest arrest is that of Vivek Beldiya, 30, a driver residing in Kapodra, originally from Makhniya village in Talaja taluka of Bhavnagar district. Two other accused had already been taken into custody: Satyajit Manjeraiya, 28, a resident of the Vejalpur area in Ahmedabad and originally from Amreli, and Pankajkumar Ramani, 39, a businessman from Vesu and originally from Dodiyaala village in Jasdan taluka of Rajkot district.
Investigators found that Satyajit's ICICI Bank current account was procured by Pankajkumar on commission and subsequently handed over to Vivek for commission. The account was then allegedly provided to other absconding accused and used to move cyber-fraud proceeds.
Scale of Transactions and Linked Complaints
The account, classified as a Layer-01 account in the fraud chain, recorded total financial transactions of ₹2,72,97,899.50. Police also identified 37 applications or complaints from different states registered against the account on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, indicating the network's reach extended well beyond Surat.
A case was registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station under Sections 318(4), 336(2), 338, 336(3), 340(2), 61(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008.
Police Advisory and Wider Context
The arrests come amid a sustained focus by Gujarat Police on mule accounts — bank accounts allegedly used by cyber-fraud networks to receive and launder stolen funds. This is the second major operation under the Operation Mule Hunt series, signalling an intensified enforcement posture against digital financial crime in the state.
Police have advised the public to exercise caution with social media advertisements promising unusually high investment returns, and have urged investors to verify the authenticity of companies, applications, and websites, including checking their Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) registration, before transferring money. Further arrests in the case are not ruled out as the investigation continues.
Point of View
Which is the right instinct — but the fact that the account remained active long enough to log nearly ₹2.73 crore raises questions about bank-level transaction monitoring and the speed of law-enforcement alerts to financial institutions.
NationPress
14 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ₹19.60 lakh investment fraud case in Surat?
It is a cyber fraud case in which the complainant's son was allegedly duped of ₹19.60 lakh after being lured into a fake share-market investment scheme called 'BRP Fund 100 - Day Wealth Leap Program', which promised returns of up to 390 per cent. The fraud was operated through a WhatsApp group and a website, with money routed through multiple bank accounts.
Who is Vivek Beldiya and why was he arrested?
Vivek Beldiya , 30, is a driver from Kapodra, Surat, originally from Bhavnagar district. He was arrested as an absconding accused for allegedly receiving a mule bank account and facilitating the movement of cyber-fraud proceeds through it as part of the investment fraud network.
What is Operation Mule Hunt 2.0?
Operation Mule Hunt 2.0 is a Gujarat Police initiative targeting mule accounts — bank accounts used by cyber-fraud networks to receive and move stolen funds. The operation has led to multiple arrests in Surat and is part of a broader state-level crackdown on digital financial crime.
How much money passed through the mule account linked to this case?
The mule account, classified as a Layer-01 account, recorded total financial transactions of ₹2,72,97,899.50 . Police also found 37 applications or complaints from different states registered against the account on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
How can investors protect themselves from such frauds?
Police advise the public to be cautious of social media advertisements promising unusually high investment returns. Investors should verify the authenticity of companies, applications, and websites, and confirm their SEBI registration before transferring any money.
