Nagpur: In a major breakthrough, the Nagpur Rural Police apprehended 42 individuals involved in a nationwide scam promising Rs 25 lakh and employment in exchange for allowing Jio mobile towers to be installed on properties. The gang defrauded thousands of citizens across India, accumulating crores of rupees. Police seized crores of rupees from hundreds of bank accounts, along with hundreds of mobile phones. The scam also involved two youths from Nagpur who misused over 150 citizens’ bank accounts to siphon off money.
Key perpetrators identified as Pranab Mondal, Subhendu Maity, and Ravindranath Banerjee from West Bengal are said to be masterminds behind the “Jio Tower Scam.”
Local Involvement Unveiled:
The accused include Vaibhav Davande, a resident of Ajni village in Kamptee, and Kamlesh Gajbhiye from Nagpur’s Kawarapeth area. They joined the Kolkata-based scam and lured citizens from Saoner and Kalmeshwar talukas by offering Rs 4,000 monthly in exchange for their bank account details, claiming the accounts were needed for orphanage donations. Citizens submitted their Aadhaar cards, bank passbooks, cheques, and ATM cards to the scam leaders in Kolkata.
Over time, the gang used these accounts for fraudulent transactions amounting to Rs 5–50 lakh daily. Suspicious of the sudden activity, three citizens lodged complaints with Saoner Police, leading to an investigation by Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Maske.
The “Jio Tower Scam” Modus Operandi:
The scammers posed as representatives of Jio and falsely promised Rs 25 lakh upfront, Rs 20,000 monthly rent, and a job worth Rs 20,000 for one family member to property owners willing to install Jio towers. To gain trust, they sent fake documents from Jio, WHO, the Department of Telecommunications, and TRAI via WhatsApp. They then demanded registration fees, duping thousands of people across the country.
How the Gang Was Busted:
Police interrogated Vaibhav Davande and Kamlesh Gajbhiye, who revealed details of bank accounts linked to Kolkata. The accounts saw daily transactions of crores of rupees. Following the trail, police arrested Siddharth Das, Deep Sen (alias Sourav Chaki), and Babuda (alias Manoranjan Maity) from Nayabad city in Kolkata. These individuals were withdrawing lakhs daily from various ATMs.
Further investigations revealed assets worth crores acquired using the scammed money, including a fixed deposit of Rs 36 lakh and luxury cars.
Fake Call Centers Used for Fraud:
Pranab Mondal, Subhendu Maity, and Ravindranath Banerjee set up fake call centers in Nayabad and other cities, employing 14 men and 19 women with salaries of Rs 30,000 per month to lure victims. The gang used multiple call centers to target citizens nationwide, using unemployed youths as operatives.
Police have seized Rs 7 crore, hundreds of mobile phones, and thousands of SIM cards in the operation. The investigation continues to uncover the full extent of the scam.
