Odisha Police Bust Jamtara-Linked Cyber Fraud Syndicate

Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police have dismantled a sophisticated interstate cybercrime network, arresting four individuals from Hyderabad, Telangana, and Jamtara, Jharkhand. Police Commissioner S. Dev Datta Singh confirmed the arrests on Wednesday, noting the group’s direct ties to the notorious Jamtara phishing hub.

The “RTO Challan” Phishing Trap

The investigation began in September 2025 after Jashobanta Jena, a resident of Bhubaneswar, reported an unauthorized deduction of ₹7 lakh from his HDFC bank account.

Jena revealed that the theft occurred shortly after he clicked an APK file titled “RTO Challan” shared in a WhatsApp group. The malicious software allowed the fraudsters to gain remote access to his device, harvest bank details, and intercept OTPs to drain his account.

Network Structure and Mastermind

Following a complex digital money trail, police teams tracked and apprehended the suspects on April 19. The arrested individuals include:

• Mukesh Turi (27): A Jamtara resident identified as the mastermind. He reportedly traveled frequently by flight to manage operations and acted as the primary link between Jamtara’s tech-fraudsters and interstate account handlers.

• Mohammed Abbas (37) & Md. Salman (29): Based in Hyderabad, they specialized in opening “mule” bank accounts using the identities of gullible family members and acquaintances.

• Md. Amair (31): Served as a facilitator, collecting mule account details from Abbas and Salman to forward them to Mukesh.

How the Racket Operated

The Commissionerate Police detailed a highly organized workflow:

1. Creation: A five-member team in Jamtara (including associates known as King Khan and Rehan Khan) created malicious APK files and phishing links.

2. Targeting: Links were sent to victims based on bank information sourced from across the country.

3. Laundering: Once funds were stolen, they were routed through the mule accounts managed by the Hyderabad-based suspects.

4. Distribution: Mukesh Turi oversaw the final withdrawal and distribution of the stolen funds.

The suspects were brought to Odisha on transit remand. Authorities are now hunting for the remaining members of the Jamtara-based cell to fully dismantle the network.