UP police arrest 119 in fake international call centre cyber fraud case in Lucknow

The call centre was operating from two offices on the 11th floor of Summit Building and was targeted in a raid on Wednesday evening by a joint team of the Cyber Cell and Cyber Police Station of the Lucknow Police Commissionerate.

In Short

• Joint cyber teams raided two Summit Building offices on Wednesday evening
• Police seized 100 laptops, 178 phones and crucial electronic evidence
• The centre allegedly used Dollar App inducements for technical frauds

Police have arrested all 119 people who were detained after a fake international call centre allegedly involved in cyber fraud was uncovered in Lucknow, officials said on Thursday. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Anil Kumar Yadav confirmed the arrests.

The call centre was operating from two offices on the 11th floor of Summit Building and was targeted in a raid on Wednesday evening by a joint team of the Cyber Cell and Cyber Police Station of the Lucknow Police Commissionerate.

According to police, the centre mainly operated at night and allegedly cheated victims through technical frauds and various inducements using the "Dollar App".

During the operation, police seized 100 laptops, 178 mobile phones used for calling, along with other digital devices, important documents and electronic evidence. Preliminary investigation showed that the call centre was operating under the name "Solaris Solution", Yadav said.

Those arrested include two alleged operation managers, Lalit Khairajani, originally from Ahmedabad and currently living in Gomti Nagar Extension in Lucknow, and Vikram Singh Parmar, also from Ahmedabad and now residing in Gomti Nagar Extension, he said.

The seized electronic devices and documents have been sent for technical and forensic examination to gather evidence related to the cyber fraud network, its victims, calling modules and financial transactions.

Yadav said the role of other members of the organised international cyber fraud syndicate was being investigated on the basis of the interrogation of the arrested accused and analysis of digital evidence.

Further legal proceedings against those arrested are under way, while action against other associates, financial beneficiaries and members of the network will be taken after a detailed examination of the recovered data and electronic evidence.

Lucknow Police Commissioner Amrendra Kumar Sengar is also scheduled to address a press conference on the issue later in the day. In sum, the police have converted the detention of 119 people into arrests and are now examining seized devices and records to trace the wider cyber fraud network.

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