'686 Fake Garba Passes, ₹8 Lakh Fraud': Ahmedabad Crime Branch Arrests Two Over Instagram Ads for 25 Events

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has arrested two men from Rajasthan for allegedly cheating people of around ₹8 lakh by selling 686 fake Garba passes, advertised on Instagram for 25 events across Ahmedabad.

Police said the accused used fake social media accounts, targeted advertisements and AI-generated promotional material to make counterfeit passes appear genuine and lure prospective attendees.

Fake Instagram Account Used Event Organiser’s Identity

The accused allegedly created an Instagram account under the name ‘veer.rajjputt’ and a fake email ID, anantexperience@gmail.com, using the name and logo of Anant Brahmand, a Garba event organised by the complainant’s company.

According to police, they advertised discounted passes without the organiser’s knowledge and collected payments from people who believed they were purchasing genuine tickets.

The case was registered on October 16 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Information Technology Act. The complaint alleged that the fraud took place between August 19 and October 14.

The arrested men have been identified as Virendrasinh Rathod, 21, a BBA graduate from Silver Oak University in Ahmedabad, and Kishan Singh Rathod, 22, a BSc graduate from Rajasthan. Both are unemployed and hail from Rajasthan, police said.

Paid Advertisements Reached Thousands

Investigators used technical surveillance, human intelligence and an analysis of the Instagram account, email address and WhatsApp number allegedly used in the fraud to trace the accused to Sikar in Rajasthan.

The investigation was conducted under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Lavina Sinha.

Police said the accused maintained a professional-looking Instagram profile to establish credibility and used paid advertisements on Meta platforms to target people in areas hosting the Garba events. One of the posts had received around 40,000 views in Ahmedabad, according to investigators.

The accused allegedly used ChatGPT to prepare promotional content and design passes resembling genuine tickets. The material reportedly included barcodes and QR codes to make the counterfeit passes appear authentic.

WhatsApp Chats and Fake Booking Confirmations

After prospective customers responded to the advertisements, the accused allegedly contacted them on WhatsApp using the name ‘Veer Rajput’.

They also created separate email IDs in the names of different Garba events and sent booking confirmations to persuade customers to transfer money, police said.

Investigators found that payments were deposited into an HDFC Bank account linked to one of the accused. The subsequent withdrawal or transfer of the money through other accounts, including suspected mule accounts, is under investigation.

Police said the accused continued advertising and selling passes even after a case was registered against them at Santej police station in Gandhinagar district on October 3.

They allegedly moved between Jodhpur, Bikaner and Sikar while continuing the operation and attempting to evade detection.

Police Examine Digital and Financial Evidence

The Cyber Cell has identified 686 passes allegedly sold for various Garba events, with the total amount collected estimated at around ₹8 lakh.

Investigators are examining mobile phones, social media accounts, emails, WhatsApp conversations and financial transactions to determine the full extent of the alleged fraud.

Police have urged people to buy passes only through official event websites and verified contact details of organisers. They have also advised prospective attendees to be cautious of offers priced substantially below market rates and to verify the authenticity of passes.

Anyone who suspects they have been defrauded should immediately call the national cyber fraud helpline 1930 and lodge a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, police said.