ZIRAKPUR – In a major crackdown on international cybercrime, the Zirakpur police have dismantled a high-tech “boiler room” operation functioning out of a premium residential society. Ten individuals, including a mastermind from Gujarat, were arrested on Saturday for allegedly swindling foreign nationals out of crores of rupees over the last three years.
The operation, conducted under the direct supervision of ASP Gazal Preet Kaur, targeted a flat on the seventh floor of the Motia Royal Society on the Chandigarh-Ambala Highway.
The Modus Operandi: The “Loan Trap”
The syndicate specialized in targeting citizens in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Posing as legitimate representatives of reputable finance companies, the accused would contact victims via online calling platforms, offering personal loans at attractively low interest rates.
Once a victim showed interest, the fraudsters would solicit “processing fees” or “security deposits.” These payments were collected in US Dollars and other foreign currencies through various online channels. According to Station House Officer (SHO) Satinder Singh, the group had no valid financial licenses or legal authorization to offer such services.
Seizures and Evidence
During the raid, police recovered a significant cache of digital evidence used to facilitate the cross-border scams:
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9 Laptops (containing victim databases and call scripts)
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12 Mobile Phones
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Foreign Currency Transaction Records
A Pan-India Network
The arrests reveal a highly organized network of individuals who migrated from various states to Zirakpur to escape the scrutiny often found in larger tech hubs like Delhi or Noida.
The arrested individuals include:
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Melvin Thakkar (Mastermind): A resident of Gujarat who orchestrated the network.
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Core Members: Anirudh Palania (Himachal Pradesh), Pawan Pandever (Ahmedabad), and Prashant Omprakash Jaiswal.
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Other Associates: Anant Dev Kaushik, Sonu Dayali, Milan Sunwar, Ashik Darji, Arjun Chhetri (West Bengal), and Palvinder Singh (Lalru).
All ten accused were residing in rented accommodation within the society, using the residential setting as a cover for their illicit activities.
Current Investigation Status
The Mohali court has remanded the accused to three-day police custody. SHO Satinder Singh noted that the group is currently undergoing “intensive interrogation.”
“We anticipate further major revelations regarding the financial trail and the involvement of more accomplices,” said SHO Singh. “The scale of this fraud spans three years and hundreds of victims. We are now working to trace the movement of the defrauded money and how it was converted into local currency.”
Authorities are also investigating whether the group had any local support that allowed them to operate undetected within a high-profile residential complex for such an extended period.
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