The cybercrime police team of Panchkula has made significant progress in cracking a massive stock market fraud case involving deceit through online platforms. The police arrested three more individuals on July 10, 2025, pushing the total number of accused in custody to five.
This case, which revolves around a scam worth ₹1.61 crore, began with a complaint by Ajay Gill, a local resident and academy owner. The accused tricked him and his wife into believing they would receive large profits from stock market investments. Instead, they lost their money and saw their personal identification misused.
The cybercrime unit, led by Sub-Inspector Yudhveer Singh, carried out the recent arrests using strong digital evidence that included WhatsApp chats, bank account trails, and other electronic traces.
How the Scam Began
The scam started on April 1, 2025, when Ajay Gill received a suspicious link on Facebook. The link directed him to a WhatsApp group where several individuals posed as financial experts. They lured Ajay with promises of high returns from stock market investments.
As the days passed, the fraudsters convinced Ajay and his wife to invest more and more money. They used false guarantees and manipulated market-related jargon to gain trust. They created a sense of urgency and opportunity that pushed the couple into investing a total of ₹1.61 crore.
The scammers also misused their Aadhaar details, indicating a deeper level of fraud. They likely used this identity information to open accounts or reroute financial transactions in the couple’s name.
Police Action: A Timeline of Arrests
First Arrest: January 2025 – Kushdeep from Lakhimpur Kheri, UP
The police started the investigation immediately after Ajay filed the complaint. The first breakthrough came in January 2025 when the team arrested Kushdeep, a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh.
During his remand, the police recovered ₹90,000 and a mobile phone that he used in the fraud. Kushdeep admitted to his role in the scam, and the authorities sent him to judicial custody after interrogation.
Second Arrest: May 2025 – Rajat Gupta, Associate of Kushdeep
In May 2025, the cybercrime team tracked down and arrested Rajat Gupta, a known associate of Kushdeep. Rajat helped manage the financial operations of the scam. He coordinated with Kushdeep and handled one of the fake bank accounts that received victim deposits.
The arrest of Rajat confirmed the presence of a network, not just a single fraudster. The police team followed multiple leads to identify other members involved in the racket.
Latest Arrests: July 10, 2025 – Sumit, Manjeet, and Pradeep
The biggest breakthrough came on July 10, when the cybercrime team arrested three more individuals. The team identified and located:
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Sumit, a resident of Sisrana village, Sonipat
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Manjeet, also from Sisrana village, Sonipat
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Pradeep, from Thanakalan village, Sonipat
After their arrest, the officers questioned all three suspects. Following the interrogation, Sumit and Manjeet were sent to judicial custody, while the police obtained three days of custody for Pradeep to gather more evidence.
How the Police Cracked the Case
The cybercrime team followed a clear and aggressive investigation plan. They used a combination of digital forensics and traditional surveillance methods. Their key tools included:
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Bank account tracing: Investigators followed the money trail from Ajay Gill’s transactions to various suspicious accounts.
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WhatsApp group data: Police extracted message logs and contact histories from phones and cloud backups.
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Mobile device analysis: The team cloned devices and analyzed activity logs, call records, and app data.
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IP address tracking: They traced the devices used to manage fake investment platforms and social media accounts.
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Aadhaar misuse pattern detection: Officials checked how the fraudsters used Ajay and his wife’s identification documents in unauthorized ways.
This digital footprint helped the officers connect the suspects and link them to the fraudulent transactions. The clarity of the electronic evidence allowed police to act swiftly.
Impact on the Victims
Ajay Gill and his wife trusted the fake investment platform because the scammers presented themselves as professionals. They received regular updates, fake charts, and even forged transaction slips to create the illusion of profit.
The couple gradually invested over ₹1.61 crore in various tranches. The fraudsters maintained consistent contact and reassured them every step of the way. Only after delays in withdrawal requests did Ajay realize that something felt wrong.
When the money stopped flowing and the contact numbers went unreachable, Ajay decided to report the matter to the police. His prompt action helped the authorities start the investigation before the suspects could cover their tracks.
Larger Implications of the Case
The scam highlights the increasing sophistication of online fraud operations. The use of social media, WhatsApp groups, and fake platforms shows how modern scams target individuals across different demographics.
This case also shows how cybercriminals operate as organized networks rather than lone actors. The suspects used multiple identities, devices, and bank accounts to hide their tracks. They divided roles among themselves—some handled communication, others processed payments, and some provided fake documents.
Such fraud rings pose a serious threat to public trust in digital finance. This case reinforces the need for strong online vigilance and financial literacy.
Police Strategy Going Forward
SI Yudhveer Singh and his team plan to expand the investigation. They believe that more people played roles in the scam, especially in managing backend operations like setting up fake websites or collecting Aadhaar data.
The cybercrime station plans to examine whether the fraudsters used money mules or shell companies to move the funds. The team will also work with banks and central agencies to freeze any remaining assets and recover more of the defrauded amount.
Officials have already alerted other cybercrime units across Haryana and neighboring states. They will share data from this case to uncover similar fraud patterns and prevent new scams.
Final Thoughts
The cybercrime unit of Panchkula has made notable progress in bringing fraudsters to justice. Through quick action, technical expertise, and consistent tracking, the team has arrested five people linked to the ₹1.61 crore stock investment scam.
This case serves as a warning for all investors to stay cautious. Individuals must verify all financial offers, avoid unfamiliar groups on social media, and report suspicious behavior immediately.
Cybercrime in India has grown in scale and complexity. Cases like this show that with the right tools and timely complaints, law enforcement agencies can still trace digital footprints and hold the guilty accountable.
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