Surat cyber cell arrests manpower supplier in Rs 33.14 crore fraud probe

Surat Cyber Crime Cell arrested a Chennai-based manpower supplier for allegedly providing bank accounts to route cyber-fraud proceeds linked to a Chinese gang. Police traced 113 complaints involving over Rs 33.14 crore through 34 accounts and uncovered a separate job fraud affecting hundreds

Surat: The Surat Cyber Crime Cell has arrested a 39-year-old manpower supplier from Chennai for allegedly providing bank accounts used to route cyber-fraud proceeds to an absconding associate linked to a Chinese gang, while investigators have traced 113 complaints involving fraud of more than Rs 33.14 crore through 34 accounts allegedly connected to him. The accused, identified as Lovely alias Sameer alias Riv Arora, was arrested following a technical investigation into an investment fraud case registered by the Surat Cyber Crime Police Station.

Police said he had been operating between Chennai and Mumbai and had earlier lived in Gurgaon. According to police, the primary case relates to an alleged fraud committed between November 14, 2025 and February 10, 2026.

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The complainant was allegedly promised high returns through dollar investments in the share market and was sent links to a fake trading website.

After registration, the complainant transferred Rs 1,52,63,198 into multiple bank accounts provided through the website and customer service channels. The money was allegedly not allowed to be withdrawn.

The case was registered under under Sections 318(4), 336(2), 338, 336(3), 340(2), 61(2), 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Amendment Act, 2008.

Police said the arrested accused obtained bank accounts from previously arrested persons by paying a three per cent commission on transactions. He allegedly supplied the accounts at a 3.5 per cent commission to another absconding accused based in Dubai, who was allegedly working with a Chinese gang and moving cyber-fraud proceeds through USDT.

Investigators said 34 bank accounts linked to the accused were checked through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, revealing 113 complaints across 14 states. The complaints collectively involved alleged fraud of Rs 33,14,76,909.

Karnataka accounted for the highest number of complaints at 34, followed by Maharashtra with 11, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu with 10 each, and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Bihar and Assam with six each. Delhi had six complaints, while Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab had three each. The investigation also uncovered an alleged separate data-entry job fraud.

Police said the accused had operated call centres in Mumbai, Indore, Patna, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Chennai and purchased customer data through platforms including Work India, Apna Job, Job Hai and Naukri.com for Rs two to Rs eight per record. Using data of more than 33 lakh people seeking work-from-home opportunities, telecallers allegedly offered data-entry jobs and initially collected Rs 5,000 from each person.

After obtaining signatures on purported agreements, the accused allegedly claimed that the work did not meet required accuracy standards and refused to refund the money. Police said more than 750 people were allegedly cheated of over Rs 35 lakh through this method.

Police further alleged that the accused had created a fake software application called Care Compass for the purported data-entry operations. A laptop seized from him contained details of 33,88,646 customers and 266 data-entry job agreements.

“The investigation also found that the accused had travelled to Dubai around 12 times and had previously held Dubai citizenship,” police said.

Fourteen mobile phones, three laptops, four SIM cards and 57 SIM-card covers were seized from him. Police said the accused is also allegedly involved in another investment fraud case registered at the Surat Cyber Crime Police Station, involving Rs 15,44,104.

Four other accused Mineshkumar Solanki, Anil Gupta, Vikassinh Bhadoria and Riyaz alias Shoaib had previously been arrested in connection with the investigation. Further investigation is underway.