Payment gateway fraud case of Rs 16,180 crore; Thane police makes fourth arrest

In connection with a substantial financial crime involving a breach of a payment gateway service provider's system and the misappropriation of over Rs 16,180 crore, the police in Thane, Maharashtra, have apprehended an additional individual, as confirmed by an official to PTI.

With this most recent arrest, the police have now detained a total of four individuals in connection with the case registered at Naupada police station. The latest arrest pertains to Dinesh Dhondu Shirke (49), a partner in a business enterprise, who was apprehended in the western suburb of Andheri in neighbouring Mumbai. The official stated that Shirke's involvement in the crime was evident during the initial investigation conducted by the cyber cell.

Previously, the police had arrested Amol Andale, also known as Aman, Anup Dubey (26) from Bhayandar, and Sanjay Namdeo Gaikwad (42), a partner in a firm residing in Mumbai. According to law enforcement, the fraudulent activity had been ongoing for a significant period, but it was brought to light after a complaint was filed with the Shrinagar police station in April 2023, reporting the hacking of the payment gateway system and the siphoning off of Rs 25 crore.

During the subsequent investigation, the cyber cell team discovered numerous suspicious transactions totalling more than Rs 16,180 crore. On October 6, the Naupada police registered a case against five individuals under various sections, including 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust), 467, 468 (forgery), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 34 (common intention), and provisions of the Information Technology Act.

The cyber cell team is actively probing this crime, and further arrests are anticipated, as many others were involved in this extensive fraud that transpired over an extended period, according to the official's statement.

Earlier, it was disclosed by the police that the accused had allegedly established multiple partnership firms using fraudulent documents to launder the ill-gotten funds. These individuals had established a total of five partnership firms, with transactions amounting to Rs 16,180 crore unveiled after scrutinising 260 bank statements.

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