Pimpri Chinchwad Police Bust Crypto Fraud Run Through Nurse’s Bank Account; Trio Held In ₹2.10 Crore Scam
Pimpri Chinchwad Police Bust Crypto Fraud Run Through Nurse’s Bank Account; Trio Held In ₹2.10 Crore Scam
Pimpri-Chinchwad, 27 November 2025: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Cyber Police have busted a large cyber fraud network and arrested three key members involved in laundering money through cryptocurrency using bank accounts opened in the name of a domestic worker. The arrests were carried out in Sangli, Mumbai and Ahmedabad after an extensive multi-state probe.
The investigation began after a complainant reported losing ₹2.10 crore in an online trading scam operated through a Telegram group named “85 SC India Stock Circle.” The group’s administrators, using names such as Lata Gupta (@GGPPLU2), @HINOCOCJB, @FUHJFIVJDY, and Shirish Apte (@HUJKIS5), allegedly promised high returns on stock market investments and shared fraudulent trading links.
The complainant transferred ₹2,10,04,794, which the suspects diverted into multiple accounts. Police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.
Money Trail Leads to Sangli
Investigators found that ₹78 lakh had been deposited into a Saraswat Bank account belonging to Poonam Rafiq Shiklagar of Sangli. A team led by PSI Vaibhav Patil tracked her down. Initially denying ownership of the account, she later admitted to having handed it over to her friend Mohammad Said Mohammad Patel, who claimed he had passed it on to a man identified as Sammer Gupta in exchange for ₹12 lakh in cash.
Further analysis revealed that “Sammer Gupta” was using virtual numbers and changing locations frequently. Acting on a tip that he was travelling to Mumbai, PSI Sagar Poman and his team detained him. He was identified as Vishal Dinesh Thakkar, a Thane-based stock trader. Thakkar confessed to selling the bank details to a person known as “Fortune” in exchange for USDT cryptocurrency on Binance.
Mastermind Arrested at Ahmedabad Airport
Technical surveillance showed that “Fortune” was flying from Varanasi to Ahmedabad. A Cyber Police team intercepted him at Ahmedabad Airport. The accused was identified using an image of his luggage he had previously shared with Thakkar.
The suspect was confirmed to be Harsh Surendrapratap Bhadoriya, a resident of Kanpur. He admitted to using multiple bank accounts to receive funds from the complainant and several other victims across India. Police have frozen ₹39.62 lakh linked to the scam.
Accused in Custody
The arrested individuals are Mohammad Said Mohiyuddin Patel (25) — Resident of Sangli, Vishal Dinesh Thakkar alias Sammer Gupta (28) — Thane resident, stock trader and Harsh Surendrapratap Bhadoriya alias Fortune/Punit (32) — Bank account supplier, resident of Kanpur.
Police have also seized six mobile phones used for committing the crime.
Preliminary findings indicate that the gang defrauded at least 26 people across India, involving fraud worth several crores.
Police Leadership and Ongoing Investigation
The crackdown was executed under the guidance of Commissioner of Police Vinay Kumar Choubey, Joint CP Dr. Shashikant Mahavarkar, Additional CP Sarang Avhad, DCP (Crime) Dr. Shivaji Pawar, and ACP (Crime-1) Dr. Vishal Hire.
Cyber Police Inspector Ravikiran Nale is heading the investigation. Government Prosecutor Surat Mohite ensured the accused were remanded to police custody.
