In a significant breakthrough, the Sambhajinagar police in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have successfully foiled a massive cyber heist attempt worth Rs110 crore. The targeted victim was a Mumbai-based diamond trading company with a corporate account in a nationalized bank located in the state capital. The swift action by law enforcement led to the arrest of six individuals, including four college students with expertise in information technology.
Investigations have revealed that the arrested suspects were associated with a group of hackers operating on the dark web. It was through this underground network that they obtained sensitive details about the corporate bank account and received instructions to siphon off the funds and invest in cryptocurrencies.
The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar police disclosed that the apprehended individuals had access to similar account details of approximately 20 prominent companies. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Dhananjay Patil stated, “Prima facie, it appears that the accused are professional hackers. They possessed corporate bank account information for 20 companies and were engaged in cyber heists with the intention of purchasing bitcoins on the dark web.”
The hackers operated from a hotel near the Kartiki signal area in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Acting on specific intelligence, the police’s cybercrime branch conducted a raid on Tuesday at the hotel premises, leading to the arrest of Shaikh Irfan (20), Waseem Shaikh (36), Shaikh Kanit (19), Abbas Shaikh (34), Amol Karpe (25), and Krushna Karpe (25). Several pieces of evidence, including six cellphones and two laptops, were confiscated during the operation.
The accused have been charged under Sections 420 (cheating) and 511 (attempting to commit offenses punishable with life imprisonment or other forms of imprisonment) of the Indian Penal Code. They were presented before a special court and remanded to two days of police custody for further investigation.
The successful foiling of this high-stakes cyber heist attempt highlights the vigilance and effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in tackling cybercrime. It serves as a reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures to protect individuals and organizations from malicious activities in the digital realm.
