Mumbai: A 20-year-old student received a notice from the Income Tax department, asking her to pay GST for transactions running into Rs 35 crore reflected in her various bank accounts over eight months. Two men have been arrested for misusing her personal documents to open the fraud accounts.
The student, TMG Shaikh from Malad (West), approached Malvani police station after receiving the tax notice, claiming that she had nothing to do with those transactions or even the bank accounts. A case was registered on Monday and the police investigation has uncovered a new type of fraud where criminals target job-seekers, collecting their Aadhaar and PAN card details to open bank accounts that are used to park money got from cyber crime victims.
Two people — Abhishek Pandey (21) from Borivli and Akash Vishwakarma (22) from Kandivli — have been arrested.
“The two targeted job-seekers, obtaining their Aadhaar and PAN card details promising employment. These documents were misused to open bank accounts for money obtained through cyber scams,” said an officer from Malvani police station.
DCP Anand Bhoite led a team of senior inspector Shailendra Nagarkar, ACP Neeta Padvi, inspector Jeevan Bhatkule, sub-inspectors Digamber Kurkute, Amar Shinde and staff, who arrested the two. The police seized 204 SIM cards, 115 passbooks, 271 debit and credit cards besides cash, laptop and other equipment used in the fraud.
Sub-inspector Kurkute said that the investigation led to the arrest of two graduates whose job was to supervise the fraudulent accounts and withdraw money for other gang members for which they were paid a commission.
The inquiry has exposed a scheme targeting job applicants, using their documents to open bank accounts for illegal transactions.
A police officer said dozens of people likely had their documents misused. The police are gathering details of the kingpin of the gang. The two arrested men have been sent to police custody.