Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Apr 18: In a meticulously coordinated operation, the Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested five individuals from a remote village in Assam’s Morigaon district for masterminding a high-stakes credit card scam that defrauded global banking giant HSBC of Rs 1.27 cr.

The arrested men Mohebur Abdul Rahman (28), Sadiqul Islam (27), Ilyas Rafiqul Islam (25), Abu Bakr Siddique Ramzan Ali (37), and Mohimuddin Ahmed Abdul Malik (26) allegedly forged documents to acquire 55 HSBC credit cards and used them for lavish purchases and fund transfers before vanishing from Mumbai.

According to investigators, the accused began by identifying individuals with high CIBIL scores. They created fake PAN and Aadhaar cards using details from a now-busted Aadhaar centre in Morigaon, and used these identities to obtain credit cards from multiple financial institutions. Temporary accommodations were rented in Mumbai to receive the cards, all issued between February and June 2024.

“Once in possession of the cards, they went on a calculated spending spree, transferring funds and maxing out credit limits before disappearing,” said inspector Sadanand Yerekar of Crime Branch Unit 3.

The scam came to light after a complaint by an HSBC employee at Azad Maidan police station in 2023. A deeper investigation by the Crime Branch traced digital footprints leading to Morigaon. The team uncovered connections to earlier financial frauds involving Axis Bank and Aditya Birla Finance.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Datta Nalawade, who led the probe, said the operation was backed by substantial evidence including fake documents, mobile data, bank statements and CCTV footage. The arrests were made with the support of Laharighat police in Assam.

The accused have been charged under multiple IPC sections including 420 (cheating), 465, 468, 471 (forgery), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and sections 66C and 66D of the IT Act. They will be brought to Mumbai on Saturday for further investigation.