Before Malik’s apprehension, authorities had already taken into custody five of his associates—Shantanu Anand, Kartik Sharma, Tarun Kumar Dudeja, Rakesh Sharma, and Yash Sharma—in connection with the same case
Authorities at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport apprehended a suspected hawala operator, identified as Harmit Singh Malik, age 30 and hailing from Anand Vihar, Delhi. Malik’s capture was part of an ongoing investigation into a significant cyber fraud case, involving a whopping ₹6.14 crore. This case dates back to December 2023 when funds were illicitly siphoned off from the official bank account of an IT firm based in Gurugram.
The investigation has revealed a complex web of transactions, with the embezzled funds being dispersed across 141 different bank accounts nationwide. A substantial portion of these funds was suspected to have been routed out of India, particularly to destinations like Dubai and China, through cryptocurrency channels.
Priyanshu Dewan, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cybercrime), disclosed that Malik had been red-flagged under a lookout circular (LOC). This prompted security agencies to intercept him at the airport on April 19, just as he was attempting to flee the country. Following his detention, Gurugram police were promptly notified, leading to Malik’s subsequent arrest the following day. He has since been remanded into police custody until Tuesday pending further investigation.
Before Malik’s apprehension, authorities had already taken into custody five of his associates—Shantanu Anand, Kartik Sharma, Tarun Kumar Dudeja, Rakesh Sharma, and Yash Sharma—in connection with the same case.
Despite the recent arrests, including that of Malik, the exact mechanisms behind the illicit fund diversion remain unclear. The investigation has primarily focused on one beneficiary account into which ₹10 lakh of the pilfered ₹6.14 crore was transferred. Moreover, authorities suspect the existence of a mastermind orchestrating the scheme from abroad. As the investigation progresses, it has come to light that there are still 30-40 individuals at large, awaiting apprehension in connection with this elaborate financial crime.
