Cyber Fraud Racket Busted in Jamtara; Father–Son Duo Arrested with Fake Documents, Devices

A police raid in the forest area near the pond along the PatroDih–Lohrangi road under Narayanpur police station led to the arrest of two cyber fraudsters on Sunday. The accused, identified as Raghunath Mandal (44) and his son Rocky Kumar Mandal (19), residents of RigiChigon village under Karmatand police station in Jamtara district, were caught red-handed during the operation. Police seized a large number of forged documents and electronic devices used in cybercrime.

According to officials, the criminals sent fake APK files to victims’ WhatsApp numbers under the guise of RTO e-challan and gas connection updates. Once installed, these files gave the fraudsters complete access to victims’ mobile phones, including banking details, passwords, and OTPs, enabling them to execute fraudulent transactions through e-wallets and other digital platforms.

The raiding team included Inspector Ravindra Nath Yadav, Chandramani Bharti, Rani Ishwar Marandi, and other police personnel. The details were shared during a press conference at the Jamtara Cyber Police Station by the Superintendent of Police.

Items Seized
Police recovered 10 mobile phones, 8 SIM cards, 6 ATM cards, 2 Aadhaar cards, 2 PAN cards, and a laptop from the accused. The seized devices are being analysed to track additional crimes linked to the duo.

Links Across Multiple States
Police said main accused Raghunath Mandal has a previous cybercrime record and was earlier charge-sheeted in Karmatand PS Case No. 98/17. Interrogation revealed that he was operating a fraud network spanning Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, repeatedly targeting unsuspecting victims across these states.