Mumbai: Kandivali Police Arrest 3 'Jamtara' Cyber Fraudsters; Seize 56 ATM Cards, 8 Mobile Phones & ₹90,000 Cash

Mumbai: In a major breakthrough, the Kandivali Police have arrested three cyber criminals from Jamtara district of Jharkhand—infamous as India’s cyber fraud hub. The accused were in Mumbai to withdraw money fraudulently obtained through online scams. During the operation, police seized 56 ATM cards, eight mobile phones, and ₹90,000 in cash from their possession.

About The Arrested Accused

The arrested accused have been identified as Mohammad Imran Ansari (36), Ali Uddin Sarfuddin Ansari (34), and Rajkumar Madhuban Prasad (33). According to Kandivali Police Senior Inspector Ravi Adane, the trio has confessed to involvement in multiple cyber fraud cases across the country.

Jamtara, a district in Jharkhand, has long been associated with cyber scams, becoming a household name after the release of a web series by the same name. Most residents in the area are reportedly involved in cyber crimes, operating scams across various states.

About The Case

The breakthrough came when the Kandivali Police Cyber Cell received intelligence that fraudsters from Jamtara involved in a scam registered in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, had traveled to Mumbai to withdraw illicit funds from a local bank account. Acting on the tip-off, a team led by Inspector Harish Gawli and Assistant Inspector Deepak Kadbane raided a hotel in Kandivali and apprehended the suspects.

Investigators revealed that cyber fraudsters often do not use their own bank accounts to receive money. Instead, they operate through ‘third-party accounts’—bank accounts opened using other individuals’ documents, either through fraudulent means or by luring people with commission promises. Many of these accounts are opened using Aadhaar card details without the knowledge of the actual person.

In recent years, hundreds of such bank accounts have reportedly been opened in Mumbai under the guise of government schemes like “Ladki Bahin Yojana,” only to be used for laundering scam proceeds. Police believe that further interrogation of the accused may expose several other cyber fraud networks operating across India. The arrest was made under the guidance of Senior Inspector Ravi Adane, with key contributions from Inspector Harish Gawli, API Deepak Kadbane, PSI Shrikant Magar, and ASI Sharad Gavkar.