Lkos Fake Call Centre Mastermind Invested Fraud Proceeds In Real Estate Nightclub Police

The alleged mastermind behind the fake international call centre busted in the state capital last week allegedly channelled proceeds of the cyber fraud into real estate ventures in Ahmedabad and his girlfriend’s nightclub and salon in Kolkata through hawala channels before fleeing nearly 1,500 km to evade arrest, police said on Tuesday.

A day after the trio was brought to Lucknow on transit remand from Kolkata, the crime branch said the alleged mastermind, Vineet Vashishth, 38, a resident of Ahmedabad who carried a ₹25,000 reward, had invested the fraud proceeds in three real estate firms. Police alleged that his girlfriend, Rinki Dasgupta, 43, owns a nightclub and a salon in Kolkata and helped route money generated through the cyber racket.

According to investigators, after the late-night raid on the alleged fake international call centre operating from the Summit Building on July 2, Vashishth, Dasgupta and his close aide Naykar Jayraj fled to Kolkata, where they checked into a resort in a bid to evade arrest. They were later arrested and brought to Lucknow on transit remand.

“The third accused, Naykar Jayraj, 42, an old associate of Vineet, allegedly managed his real estate ventures. The rent agreement for the Summit Building office, from where the fake call centre operated, was executed in Jayraj’s name,” additional deputy commissioner of police (crime) Kiran Yadav said at a press conference on Tuesday.

According to Yadav, Vashishth met Ahmedabad resident Vikram Singh Parmar several years ago, and the two decided to establish the Lucknow-based call centre targeting US citizens. Vikram, along with local associate Lalit Khairajani, was among the 119 people arrested during the July 2 raid. The two were living in upscale apartments in Gomti Nagar Extension, police said.

The ADCP added that Dasgupta assisted Vineet in routing money through hawala channels and investing it in legitimate businesses.

Police teams are also examining financial transactions to determine the extent to which the alleged cyber fraud proceeds were laundered through these ventures.

The investigation has also thrown up the name of an individual identified only as “Charles”, whom police suspect may have played a key role in operating the international fraud network. “His role is being verified and the investigation is continuing,” Yadav said, adding that no further details could be disclosed at this stage.

Police said Vashishth has two criminal cases registered against him, including one at a cyber police station in Gujarat. Efforts are underway to trace the remaining accused and identify the overseas links of the alleged racket, which investigators believe targeted foreign nationals by posing as technical support executives.