‘New Jamtara’: police widen probe into network of scammers in Nuh

One of the country’s largest cybercrime networks in the national capital’s backyard in Haryana’s Nuh was busted last month with the arrest of 66 accused who had allegedly duped around 28,000 people across the country to the tune of ₹100 crore. But the job of Nuh Police is far from over yet.

One of the country’s largest cybercrime networks in the national capital’s backyard in Haryana’s Nuh was busted last month with the arrest of 66 accused who had allegedly duped around 28,000 people across the country to the tune of ₹100 crore. But the job of Nuh Police is far from over yet.

Sifting through the complaints to link them to the accused, trailing the crime proceeds, taking up the matter with different agencies such as the Income Tax and the Enforcement Directorate and making efforts to block around 20,000 SIMs procured fraudulently, Nuh Police wants to “make an example out of the accused” to deter cyber criminals in the region.

Notorious for vehicle thefts and cattle smuggling, Nuh, one of the 100 most backward districts in the country, as identified by Niti Aayog in 2018, provides a perfect breeding ground to cybercrime due to its socio-economic conditions. Cybercrimes gained prominence in the region during the COVID-19-induced lockdown because of unemployment and spurt in online activities. 

As a first step, Nuh Police has been linking the accused with the multitude of complaints lodged against them in different parts of the country to share “actionable” information with their counterparts. 

Superintendent of Police (Nuh) Varun Singla told  The Hindu that the police have expanded the scope of investigation to involve various agencies, police forces of the States, and the victims, to set a “new benchmark” in cybercrime investigation. 

“Cybercrime is faceless and borderless. It is difficult to link the accused to the crime making it easy for them to quickly secure the bail. It makes cybercrime the fastest growing crime. We want to make an example out of these accused to create fear among the aspiring cyber criminals,” said Mr. Singla.

The spread of cybercrime in Nuh — which has earned it the sobriquet of “New Jamtara” — was also helped by the strategic location of crime-ridden villages dotting the Haryana-Rajasthan border.