Lucknow: In what is being described as one of UP’s biggest cybercrime crackdowns in recent years, 119 employees and managers of a fake international call centre were arrested, exposing an operation that investigators say functioned more like a professionally managed company than a conventional criminal syndicate from the 11th floor of Summit building in Vibhuti Khand, Gomtinagar.Police commissioner Amrendra Sengar said the call centre, allegedly operating under the name Solaris Solution, had been running from two office units for around six months. If the estimated daily collections are established during the investigation, the racket may have generated nearly ₹45 crore through cyber fraud during this period.During the raid, police seized 103 laptops, 177 mobile phones, VoIP calling systems, eyebeam dialers, digital storage devices and electronic records, which are now being examined by forensic experts.The police said the syndicate recruited young graduates from across the country, particularly those with strong English-speaking skills.Employees were allegedly hired from states including Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and UP, and were paid monthly salaries ranging from ₹30,000-40,000.Police believe many employees may not have been aware of the complete nature of the operation, as responsibilities were divided among specialised teams.“The fraud followed a meticulously designed four-tier model. The first unit, called the ‘Baiting Team’, sent fraudulent emails, pop-up alerts and messages falsely claiming that victims’ Amazon, Apple or Samsung accounts had been linked to crimes such as drug trafficking, terrorism financing or child exploitation. Victims were then urged to call a toll-free support number,” said Kiran Yadav, ADCP crime, who also led probe in the case.Yadav said that calls moved to the ‘Dialer Team’, which convinced victims that their identities had been compromised and linked to criminal bank accounts. The ‘Banker Team’ then persuaded them to share sensitive financial details and transfer funds into so-called “safe govt accounts” or convert savings into gift cards and cryptocurrency.The final stage involved the elite ‘Closer Team’, whose members allegedly posed as officials from the FBI, Federal Trade Commission, US Marshals Service, US Treasury Department and US District Court. Using convincing American accents and scripted threats, they warned victims of imminent arrest, prosecution and account seizures unless they followed instructions.Police said the gang frequently employed the ‘digital arrest’ tactic, keeping victims on continuous calls and making them believe they were under federal surveillance, preventing them from seeking help or verifying claims.MASTERMINDS:Two Ahmedabad men alleged masterminds behind Lucknow’s ‘Mini Jamtara’; Bhutan national among 119 heldTwo Ahmedabad natives who had relocated to Lucknow have emerged as the alleged masterminds behind the fake international call centre busted at Summit building, with police claiming they ran the day-to-day operations of the cyber fraud racket that allegedly targeted US citizens.The accused, Lalit Khairajani, 41, and Vikram Singh Parmar ,39, both originally from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, were living in separate apartments in Gomtinagar extension when they were arrested along with 117 others in what police describe as Lucknow’s biggest cybercrime crackdown.According to investigators, Lalit, a BCom graduate residing in Saraswati apartment, and Vikram, who lived in Satluj apartment, managed the call centre’s operations, supervised employees and coordinated the alleged fraud. Both are now being questioned.Commissioner of police Amrendra Kumar Sengar said investigators suspect the operation had logistical support from associates in the US who allegedly helped facilitate the fraud. Their exact role is under investigation.Police said 118 of the 119 detained are Indian nationals, while one is a Bhutanese national. Investigators are verifying the role of every accused through interrogation, forensic analysis of seized digital devices, financial records and communication data.“We are tracing the money trail, examining overseas communication and identifying other beneficiaries and members of the alleged international cyber fraud network,” said joint commissioner of police (law and order) Babloo Kumar.
