Belagavi Police Nab Two for Online Work-From-Home Scam
Belagavi Police Nab Two for Online Work-From-Home Scam
Belagavi police arrest two for an online Work-From-Home scam that used victims' documents to open mule bank accounts, with fraud topping ₹1.27 crore.
Belagavi police have cracked down on an online fraud racket that lured people with promises of lucrative remote work and government loan schemes. Megha Maradolkar, a Belagavi resident, was nabbed after being traced to Goa, while Hyderali Ghulamali Ujjainwala was arrested in Mumbai. The operation was led by officers from the Cyber, Economic and Narcotic wing, following a complaint from a victim named Manasi.
Megha allegedly befriended unsuspecting individuals, promising easy money through remote work and loan assistance. She then used the victims' personal documents to open bank accounts in their names without their knowledge, turning these accounts into mule accounts for transferring stolen funds. A search of Megha’s residence revealed evidence of 72 different bank accounts opened in the names of innocent Belagavi residents.
Investigators found that fraudulent transactions exceeded ₹1.27 crore. Forty-seven of the accounts were linked to 144 cybercrime complaints filed across the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). Police Commissioner Borase Bhushan Gulabarao commended the officers involved and urged citizens to stay vigilant, never share personal documents, and avoid opening bank accounts on behalf of third parties.
The probe also traced how Megha coordinated with Hyderali, her son Idris Ali, accomplice Aziz Bora, and Megha’s daughter Shivani to distribute the stolen funds. Investigators noted Megha reportedly couriered bank kits and passbooks to Hyderali in Mumbai, enabling the scheme to function across cities.
This case underscores the need for caution in online job offers and government loan deals, reminding the public that legitimate schemes never require disclosure of sensitive documents or the creation of bank accounts for others.
