Flight to Mumbai, Empty Pockets: How A Ahmedabad Auto Driver’s Debt Turned into a ₹55 Lakh Cyber Trap
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Driven into a corner by compounding debt, Moin Ishaqbhai Siddhi, a 43-year-old auto-rickshaw driver from Vegalpur, was desperate for a way out. When a local acquaintance promised to clear his financial burden in exchange for a few signature filings, Moin saw an escape hatch. Instead, he walked straight into a multi-state cyber fraud operation that drained his identity and left him facing serious criminal charges.
The scam unravelled during a routine audit of the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and the Samanvay portal by the Narol police. Investigators flagged a series of suspicious, high-volume transactions linked to an account held at the Narol branch of IndusInd Bank under the trade name 'STAR GLOBAL TRADING'. Within just 48 hours of opening, the account had absorbed over ₹55 lakh routed from victims across multiple states. A quick check on the registered proprietor brought officers straight to Moin’s doorstep.
When taken into custody, Moin laid out the blueprint of how he was manipulated. Facing severe financial strain, he had been approached by Faizaluddin, alias Faizan Ansari, a resident of Amber Tower in Juhapura. Faizan assured the driver that he could wipe his debts clean if Moin simply followed his instructions.
On September 2, Faizan collected Moin's identity documents—his Aadhaar and PAN cards—and walked him into the bank to open a commercial current account. The moment the paperwork went through, Faizan seized the fresh banking materials, including the passbook, chequebook, and debit card.
Six days later, the operation moved fast. Faizan booked flight tickets and flew the auto driver out to Mumbai. Upon landing, Faizan confiscated Moin's mobile phone, cutting off his primary line of communication. The pair checked into a hotel near the Santacruz Metro Station through a third accomplice named Rutvik.
Shortly after their arrival, Faizan took the phone and the entire IndusInd bank kit outside the hotel, handing them off to an unidentified operative waiting in the city.
After holding Moin in Mumbai for three days, the pair returned to Ahmedabad. Moin was sent back to his daily routine without receiving a single rupee of the promised debt relief. Unknown to him, the account opened in his name had immediately gone live, serving as a primary destination for laundering proceeds from cyber scams across the country.
Narol police have formally booked Moin Siddhi, Faizan Ansari, and Rutvik under relevant sections for fraud and criminal conspiracy, and are currently tracking the broader syndicate operating out of Mumbai.
