Haridwar police have busted a suspected interstate cyber fraud network and arrested five men, uncovering suspicious digital transactions worth more than ₹2.75 crore during a preliminary investigation, officials said on Wednesday. Police clarified that the ₹2.75 crore figure refers to transactions traced to the suspected network and not cash recovered from the accused or their vehicle. The arrests followed a tip-off received during vehicle checking in the Shyampur police area on the night of August 25. Police were alerted that men allegedly involved in cyber fraud were travelling in a white Swift car near Sajjanpur Peeli.

A checking team subsequently intercepted the vehicle at the Rasiabad Single Line Point as it was coming from Chidiyapur, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Navneet Singh Bhullar. Five men were found inside the vehicle, and a search of a bag allegedly led to the recovery of 35 ATM cards, 14 bank passbooks, 17 SIM cards, 18 mobile phones and two laptops. Police also seized ₹37,500 in cash. Three of the arrested suspects are from Bihar, while the remaining two are residents of Haridwar. Investigators are examining the role allegedly played by each of the accused in the suspected network.

The recovered passbooks were linked to accounts held with several banks, including Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, State Bank of India, UCO Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Indian Bank and Nainital Bank. Police said the accounts were opened or operated in Haridwar, Kankhal, Rishikesh, Dehradun and surrounding areas. Investigators are now examining the financial trail associated with these accounts to determine how they were allegedly used. Initial examination of the mobile phones reportedly revealed WhatsApp conversations containing account numbers, names of account holders, QR codes and transaction-related information.

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Police suspect the digital material could provide important leads into the functioning of the alleged cyber fraud network and help establish links between the arrested men and other individuals involved in the transactions. The recovery of multiple bank cards, passbooks, SIM cards and electronic devices has prompted police to examine whether the accused allegedly operated or controlled multiple bank accounts for receiving or transferring money linked to cyber fraud. Investigators are expected to analyse the devices and transaction records in greater detail to identify the source and destination of the funds and establish the extent of the suspected operation.

SSP Bhullar said the case emerged from routine vehicle checking after police received specific information about the suspected cyber fraud activity. The interception and subsequent recovery of the digital and banking material have given investigators several lines of inquiry. Police are also examining whether the network had connections outside Uttarakhand, given the interstate background of some of the arrested suspects. The preliminary probe has so far traced suspicious transactions exceeding ₹2.75 crore, but officials have stressed that this amount should not be confused with the ₹37,500 cash seized during the operation. Further investigation will determine the exact nature of the transactions, the alleged roles of the five accused and whether additional people or bank accounts were involved in the suspected cyber fraud network.

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