Jaipur, August 25, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Rajasthan Police have arrested a fifth accused in connection with an alleged Rs 12 crore cyber fraud involving a fake online gold trading platform, officials said on Tuesday.
The State Cyber Crime Police Station arrested Vishal Sharma, a resident of Bhopal, after investigators traced Rs 25 lakh of the alleged fraud proceeds to his Bank of Baroda account. With his arrest, the number of accused apprehended in the case has risen to five.
According to police, the complainant was allegedly defrauded of Rs 12,09,65,512 after receiving a WhatsApp link to a fraudulent online trading platform in September 2025.
The victim deposited more than Rs 6 crore between October and November after being lured by the platform. The website allegedly showed a virtual wallet balance of Rs 9.42 crore, including purported profits.
When the complainant attempted to withdraw the money, the accused allegedly demanded additional payments in the name of taxes and processing charges. The victim continued making deposits, taking the total amount lost to more than Rs 12 crore.
Sharma was already lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with another cybercrime case registered by the Cyber Police in West Delhi. Rajasthan Police brought him to Jaipur on a production warrant.
During questioning, police said Sharma admitted to opening bank accounts on the instructions of associates and allowing them to use the accounts for transactions. Investigators suspect that his account was used to route proceeds from the alleged fraud.
The cybercrime team is examining WhatsApp records, call detail records, identity documents and banking transactions to trace the flow of the defrauded money and identify other members of the alleged network.
Police said Sharma had links with individuals in Nepal and Bhopal and had previously faced action by Hyderabad Police.
Authorities have advised people to exercise caution while dealing with online trading and investment schemes promoted through WhatsApp, Telegram and social media. They have warned citizens against clicking suspicious links, paying additional money to facilitate withdrawals or allowing others to use their bank accounts in exchange for commissions, as such accounts can be misused to route proceeds of cybercrime.
FOLLOW NOW
