Two Telecom Employees Arrested for Cyber Fraud in Gurugram

Gurugram, Jan 10 (NationPress) A specialized cybercrime unit of the Gurugram Police in Haryana has taken into custody two employees from a major telecom firm, accused of facilitating fraud by providing virtual numbers to con artists based in Indonesia and China. These fraudsters operated through WhatsApp and Telegram, luring victims with offers of part-time jobs and investment opportunities.

Priyanshu Diwan, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) for the Cyber Crime Unit, stated that a collaborative effort involving the Cyber East team from Gurugram and the Indian Cyber Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs led to the arrests, following a thorough technical analysis.

The suspects have been named as Neeraj Walia from Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, and Hemant Sharma.

They were apprehended under sections 318(4), 319, and 61(2) BNS at the Cyber Crime East Police Station in Gurugram.

Authorities reported that a complainant had received a call from a landline number in Gurugram, offering a part-time job involving posting reviews for various hotels. Upon completing the task, the victim received a transfer of ₹200 to their bank account. Subsequently, the victim was added to a Telegram group managed by the accused.

Initially, small sums were credited to the victim's account for minor tasks. However, the accused later persuaded the victim to invest more money, promising substantial returns. When the victim requested to withdraw their earnings, further funds were demanded.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Neeraj functioned as a site verifier for the telecom company, while Hemant held the position of team leader.

The accused had registered the landline number used for the fraud under the name of Ekamdarsh Services Pvt Ltd. Despite this company not existing at the listed address, the accused breached TRAI regulations by issuing a landline number under this fraudulent name.

Using this number, the accomplices of the suspects deceived victims by promoting task-based investments.

Furthermore, the accused confessed to collaborating with the operational manager of Ekamdarsh Services Pvt Ltd, a company registered at a fictitious address, to provide multiple numbers to an Indonesian individual in addition to the aforementioned landline number.

The investigation is ongoing, with the suspects currently in police custody for further questioning, according to ACP Diwan.

Authorities have also recovered two mobile phones allegedly utilized in the commission of the fraud from the suspects.