Punjab Police Bust ₹2.05-Crore Hawala Link in Global Cyber Fraud

Punjab Police have made another arrest in the ongoing probe into a sophisticated international cyber fraud network based in Phagwara, recovering Rs 2.05 crore in illicit hawala funds. The latest operation in Ludhiana has increased the total number of arrests to 39, with authorities seizing Rs 2.15 crore in cash, 40 laptops, and 67 mobile phones so far, according to Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav.

The suspect, identified as Pawan, a resident of Bikaner, Rajasthan, was detained during a raid in Ludhiana.

The investigation initially exposed a major cybercrime syndicate in Phagwara, with 38 individuals arrested earlier for running a scam that posed as a software service provider to deceive victims in the US and Canada. The police confiscated 40 laptops, 67 mobile phones, and Rs 10,000 in cash during the earlier raids.

DGP Yadav stated that efforts are underway to apprehend a Ludhiana-based hawala operator believed to be a key figure in the racket. Early findings suggest the syndicate used Bitcoin and hawala networks to transfer funds.

Led by SP (Investigation) Prabhjot Singh Virk, the operation saw DSP (Detective) Parminder Singh, CIA in-charge Jarnail Singh, and Cyber Crime station in-charge Amandeep Kaur raided the home of the suspected hawala operator in Ludhiana, where Pawan was caught with the cash haul.

According to SSP Kapurthala Gaurav Toora, the fraud was masterminded by a local individual, Amrinder Singh, alias Sabi Tohri, who rented a property in Phagwara to run the operation. He is linked to a Delhi-based associate named Suraj, who is connected to a Kolkata-based suspect named Shen.

A case was lodged on September 19, 2025, under FIR No. 14 at the Kapurthala Cyber Crime police station, invoking relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. The investigation is ongoing to dismantle the entire network.