The Giridih police have now adopted a fresh modus operandi to eradicate cybercrime. Besides following a few old and incumbent techniques, the department has now appealed to the bank authorities and mobile service providers, along with other concerned agencies, to cooperate with the cyber sleuths in reaching out to the criminals. These apart, recently launched Pratibimb web portal of Jharkhand police has proved much beneficial in nabbing the cybercriminals across the region.
Thanks to the super cop, IPS Anurag Gupta, the brainchild of the much publicized Pratibimb Web Portal. His creative efforts meant to defy the ill-wills of the cybercriminals were also appreciated by the Union Home Ministry. Besides being posted DG CID, Gupta has also been given additional charge of DG ACB, Jharkhand.
While talking to the Pioneer, the Giridih Superintendent of Police, Deepak Kumar Sharma said, “Although we are success in our mission to reach out the root of cybercriminals, we want to eradicate these activities from across the region. The district police have so far arrested about 165, including 5-6 most wanted, cybercriminals over the past four months. The district police have also recovered over a sum of Rs. 15-16 lakh cash, four luxurious vehicles including SUVs and others, over 355 mobile phones, 420 sim cards, 200 ATM cards and bank passbooks, 7 cheque books, 25 vehicles, 3 I-pads, 2 Laptops, 8 motorcycles and other amenities from them”.
“Since we got access to the Pratibimb Web Portal on November 17, 2023, we have arrested about 115 cybercriminals and seized a huge number of mobile phones, sim cards and various other gadgets. If everything goes well, the days are not so far, when the cybercriminals would change their path in a positive direction”, Sharma told the Pioneer.
Sharma said that as a part of preventive measures and awareness for the citizens, the district police have appealed to the Telecom service providers including the BSNL, Bharat Airtel, Vodafon-Idea and Reliance Jio to circulate text messages against the rampant cybercrime. “The stakeholders must come forward with positivity and cooperate with the police to ensure a cybercrime-free society in days to come '', Sharma stressed.
Taking a serious note of the confessional statements by the culprits, the police department has appealed to the concerned service providers and mobile companies to close about 229 sim cards and 680 IMEI numbers.
As a part of fresh strategy, the district police are now concentrating on both, inter-state and intra-state criminals, so that the department could reach out the root of the crime. Besides, pressing cyber sleuths team to nab the named accused and their close associates, the police team is also working on those aiding and abetting the cybercriminals in multiple ways like: by availing them large number of mobile phones, sim cards, laptop, or other electronic devices, often used in cybercrime. This apart, the police personnel have also been instructed to query those providing these criminals with accommodation in rural or urban areas.
The Giridih police have arrested five cyber criminals and recovered 6 cell phones, 25 sim cards and 5 ATM Cards apart from other valuables from them. Those arrested have been identified as Md Abdul Halim, Md Minhaj, Pawan Kumar Mandal, Sujit Kumar Mandal and Prashant Murari. Acting on a tip off, a team of district police led by Cyber DSP Sandeep Suman visited Jamjori village under Ahilyapur PS area of Giridih and arrested all the five cybercriminals.
The district police had on January 6 arrested altogether 7 cybercriminals and recovered a four wheeler, one motorcycle, 16 mobile phones, 16 sim cards and other gadgets from them. Those arrested have been identified as Laxman Mandal, Dinesh Mandal, Minesh Mandal, Jageshwar Sahu, Manish Mandal and two others. All are said to be the residents of Gandey and Bengabad police station areas of Giridih district. “Soon after the police team led by the Cyber DSP, Sandeep Suman, reached out to the criminals, they tried to escape from the spot. Meanwhile, two of the accused – Balram Mandal and Prakash Mohli, both residents of Jamtara district, threw away their mobile phones. However, the cyber sleuths picked out those articles along with sim cards from the village well”, SP Sharma said.
Among other big achievements, a police team led by the cyber DSP, Sandeep Suman, arrested altogether 20 cyber criminals on December 29, 2023. “Initially the police team had arrested four persons, including Vikash Mandal, Manohar Manda, Ajay Mandal and Ajnabi Mandal. But acting on the information revealed by the arrested criminals, the police team further caught one, Merajuddin Ansari, from Dak Bunglow chauraha under Bengabad police station areas of Giridih. Ansari was allegedly involved in illegal sale-purchase of sim cards across localities”, a police officer said.
On the basis of the information revealed by Merajuddin, the cyber sleuths detained other such criminals from a remote location at Giridih on January 9. “At least a dozen, out of all 165 cybercriminals were wanted in our list, but recent arrests of Merajuddin, Prakash Mohli and Balram Mandal is being considered as a major achievement for us”, said DSP cyber, Sandeep Suman.