Police in the Kalyanpur area have taken down a multi‑state fraud ring that duped hundreds of people with a fake lottery win. The operation, which was coordinated from a residence in Badharwa Mahanand panchayat, involved a web of bogus websites, counterfeit IDs and a cross‑border money‑laundering channel that funneled stolen funds through accounts linked to Bhutanese nationals.
Inside the lottery scam and its money‑laundering web
The perpetrators created professional‑looking lottery portals that promised large cash prizes to anyone who entered personal details and paid a nominal “processing fee.” Once a victim made a transfer, the scammers instructed them to send the money to a series of bank accounts ostensibly belonging to Bhutanese collaborators. Those collaborators would then convert the rupees into Indian currency and forward the amount to the gang’s own accounts, effectively erasing the paper trail.
To sustain the ruse, the gang gathered a trove of identity documents—Aadhaar cards, driving licences, voter IDs, even a Delhi Metro card—allowing them to open multiple bank accounts and register the fraudulent websites under different names. The operation also relied on a handful of Android phones, a keypad mobile, and a laptop to manage communications and process transactions.
Police raid, arrests and seized evidence
Station House Officer Jitendra Kumar, assisted by Sub‑Inspector Ranjit Kumar Singh and constables Rakesh Kumar Singh and Shivnath Prasad, executed the raid on Sunday at the home of Jaishnankar Jaiswal. Six individuals were taken into custody: Sujal Jaiswal, Sumit Jaiswal and Aman Jaiswal from the local Badharwa Mahanand area; Vivek Kumar Chaudhary from Bhagwatpur Dhaka, Ward 7; Anish Jaiswal from Purani Bazar Kesaria; and Ujjwal Chaudhary from Jaygaon, Alipurduar in West Bengal.
The team recovered a sizable cache of evidence, which included:
- 15 Aadhaar cards
- 9 ATM cards
- 1 debit card
- 2 driving licences
- 3 Election Commission of India voter ID cards
- 1 Delhi Metro smart card
- 8 Android smartphones
- 1 keypad mobile phone
- 1 laptop
- 1 school identification card
These items were being used to create the fake online presence, manage the flow of stolen money and maintain several false identities, making the investigation challenging.
Authorities say the seizure is a significant blow to organized cyber‑fraud networks that have become increasingly sophisticated across the country. By exposing the cross‑border money‑laundering component, police hope to curb similar schemes that exploit vulnerable individuals seeking quick financial gains.
The arrested suspects now face charges related to cyber fraud, money‑laundering, identity theft and violations of the Information Technology Act. Their custody will also help investigators trace the full extent of the network and recover any remaining illicit funds.
Experts warn that lottery scams are unlikely to disappear, as they exploit the universal allure of instant wealth. Vigilance, combined with quick reporting of suspicious online offers, remains the best defense for the public.
