In a major breakthrough against cybercrime, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Surat Sub-Zonal Office, has arrested four individuals for their alleged involvement in large-scale digital frauds, resulting in losses exceeding Rs 100 crore.
The accused have been identified as Makbul Abdul Rehman Doctor, his son Kaashif Makbul Doctor, Mahesh Mafatlal Desai, and Om Rajendra Pandya. They were taken into custody under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, following investigations into multiple cybercrime cases linked to the laundering of illicit funds.
According to ED, the accused and their associates defrauded unsuspecting individuals through a variety of digital scams. Their alleged schemes included forex trading frauds, digital arrests, and threats using fake legal notices purportedly from the Supreme Court of India and the ED.
Investigators found that the group had set up bank accounts in the names of employees, associates, or hired persons to collect and accumulate illicit funds. Pre-activated SIM cards obtained fraudulently were reportedly used to manage these accounts and carry out the transactions.
The probe revealed that the proceeds of crime, reportedly exceeding Rs 100 crore, were laundered through multiple channels. This included converting funds into cryptocurrency (USDT) and routing cash via Hawala operators, a method designed to evade regulatory scrutiny.
The four arrested individuals were produced before the Special Court (PMLA), Ahmedabad, which granted five days of ED custody for further investigation. The agency confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and additional arrests may be made as more evidence comes to light.
