Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
In a shocking revelation, it has come to light that youth from the city are opening bank accounts in others' names for small commissions and supplying them to masterminds of cybercrime rackets, including those involved in digital arrest scams operating across the country. The matter came to light after a bank account was opened in the name of an engineering student by none other than his own friend, and was later found to be used in a cybercrime case. The Pundaliknagar police have arrested Aniket Divekar (24, Mukundwadi) in connection with the case.
How the incident unfolded
Vaibhav Kale (21, Shivajinagar), a third-year engineering student, was approached by his childhood friend Ritesh Ramdas Waghmare (21) on June 18. Ritesh requested him to open a bank account and get a new SIM card in his name. Trusting his friend, Vaibhav opened an account with the Bank of Maharashtra in his own name and also provided a SIM card registered under his ID.
However, on September 18, Vaibhav was shocked when police arrived at his home. Investigations revealed that his bank account had been used in a ‘digital arrest’ cybercrime case registered in Manikpur, Mira-Bhayandar.
What exactly happened?
The recent cybercrime case involving a city-based engineering student has deeper links to a major digital arrest scam that took place in Vasai, targeting a 70-year-old senior citizen. Between July 14 and August 1, cybercriminals trapped the elderly man in a fake ‘digital arrest’ scenario and extorted ₹56.88 lakh from him. The scammers used eight different bank accounts to transfer the money, one of which was a Bank of Maharashtra account registered in Vaibhav Kale’s name. According to Mira-Bhayandar police, ₹9.38 lakh was transferred into Vaibhav’s account. On receiving this lead, the Jawaharnagar Police immediately traced and reached Vaibhav’s residence, leaving him and his family shocked and distressed.
The commission trail
Upon discovering that transactions were made through an account he never operated, Vaibhav lodged a complaint with PI Ashok Bhandare at Pundliknagar Police Station. A thorough investigation revealed Ritesh Waghmare, Vaibhav’s childhood friend, had manipulated him under the pretext of needing an account for gaming-related earnings. Vaibhav opened the account and obtained a new SIM card, both in his own name, and handed them over to Ritesh. Later on, Ritesh then gave access to the account and SIM to Sunny Bhalerao of Shambhunagar, who acted as a middleman. Sunny passed them on to his cousin, Aniket Divekar, who eventually used them for the scam. In return for their role, Sunny and Ritesh received commissions ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹15,000 from Divekar.
Younger brother also accused in separate case
Aniket, who is based in Pune, is suspected to be actively involved in a racket that supplies SIM cards and bank accounts to cybercrime syndicates. Upon learning that police were closing in, he smashed his mobile phone, presumably to destroy evidence.
According to police inspector Ashok Bhandare Aniket’s younger brother, Yash Divekar, was also booked on September 26 in a separate case involving an attempt to sexually assault a minor girl. The FIR was registered at the same police station, adding to the seriousness of the situation.
Meanwhile, Yash Divekar was produced in court on Saturday, and the court has remanded him to police custody till September 29, confirmed PI Bhandare.
In September 2024, based on intelligence inputs, Police Inspector Geeta Bagwade had busted a similar racket, where several well-educated youngsters were found involved in supplying SIM cards and bank accounts to cybercriminal networks. It had revealed that educated youth are increasingly getting entangled in cybercrime rackets for the lure of easy money through commissions.