1 week ago
Prison Ties Allegedly Helped Rebuild Cybercrime Network Before Second Arrest
Police in Pimpri-Chinchwad arrested two men over an alleged share-trading scam worth Rs 86 lakh.
One of them, Avinash Baklikar, had previously been arrested for another cybercrime case.
Police say he met Tejas Lokhande while both were in prison for separate cases.
After leaving prison, they allegedly contacted other former inmates.
They reportedly used those people’s names to open bank accounts for moving scam money.
Police found eight accounts that may have been used this way.
Investigators are also checking accounts linked to a construction company and a private limited company.
They are trying to find out where the money went and whether the new operation was connected to Baklikar’s earlier international cybercrime links.
Pimpri-Chinchwad police arrested Avinash Dnyanoba Baklikar and Tejas Dnyanoba Lokhande over an alleged Rs 86 lakh share-trading fraud.
Police allege Baklikar used prison contacts, including Lokhande, to arrange and manage mule bank accounts.
Investigators traced Rs 5 lakh from the complainant’s money to an account held by Lokhande.
Police have identified eight accounts allegedly opened in the names of former inmates and are tracing their transactions.
Baklikar was previously arrested in a Rs 61 lakh fraud case involving alleged links to international cybercriminals.
- Who
- Pimpri-Chinchwad police arrested Avinash Dnyanoba Baklikar and Tejas Dnyanoba Lokhande; police are also investigating former inmates whose names allegedly appeared on mule accounts.
- What
- The arrests concern an alleged Rs 86 lakh share-trading fraud and a suspected network using mule bank accounts.
- Where
- The investigation is being conducted by Pimpri-Chinchwad cyber police in Maharashtra, with alleged network activity linked to Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
- When
- The arrests occurred last week; Baklikar’s earlier arrest was in 2024.
- Why
- Police allege the accused used prison contacts to obtain bank-account details and facilitate cybercrime transactions.
Key facts
- Reported fraud amount
- Rs 86 lakh
- Amount traced to Lokhande’s account
- Rs 5 lakh
- Mule accounts identified
- Eight
- Baklikar’s earlier case
- A Rs 61 lakh share-trading fraud registered in 2024
- Baklikar’s reported prison term
- About one-and-a-half years
- Earlier alleged international links
- Police said the previous network funnelled money to cybercriminals in Nepal and China through cryptocurrency
- Additional accounts under review
- Accounts opened in the names of a construction company and a private limited company
Quotes
Vinoy Kumar Choubey
Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissioner overseeing the investigation
“We have observed cyber criminals using various ways to tap mule account holders. But in this case, connections made in prison have been used. This also means criminals with a history of other types of crimes like body offences have entered cybercrime.”
indianexpress.com
Investigating police officer
Police officer involved in the investigation
“We have so far found eight bank accounts that were opened and used as mule accounts for the racket. The accounts were held in the names of people who had come into contact with the accused during their time in prison. We are now examining the transactions through these accounts to establish the flow of money and the role played by each person.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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