Fraud with a legal twist: Lawyer among key accused in Rs 13.7L cyber scam

Vadodara: In a shocking revelation, the Vadodara cybercrime cell has uncovered a new modus operandi adopted by cyber fraudsters to evade legal action—by enlisting the help of a lawyer to manipulate legal loopholes and intimidate investigators.
The cybercrime team recently arrested Inder Pal, an advocate, for his active involvement in a fraud case worth Rs 13.70 lakh. According to investigators, Pal was not just a legal advisor to the gang but a key conspirator who used his legal expertise to shield the fraudsters and derail investigations.
"Pal is a law graduate who knew how to exploit the system. He would approach the victims whose money had been siphoned and offer to return the amount in exchange for them withdrawing the case, thereby helping the fraudsters avoid jail," said a cybercrime official.
Pal reportedly went a step further by filing false complaints against police officers investigating the scams. "He drafted bogus allegations against investigators and submitted these to their seniors, attempting to discredit and pressure officers involved in the probe," the official added.
During the investigation, police recovered over 25 such complaint drafts targeting officers across Gujarat, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, as well as 50 emails and forged documents used by the gang. Authorities say the gang operated in a highly organized manner, assigning specific roles to each member.
The scam came to light following a complaint by a citizen who was defrauded of Rs 13.70 lakh after joining a WhatsApp group promising stock market tips. The victim was persuaded to download a fake mobile app that displayed false profit data to encourage further investments. At one point, the gang even returned Rs 2 lakh to build trust and lend legitimacy to the operation, claiming the victim had received IPO shares. However, the remaining amount was never returned.
Pal and another accused, Abhishek Garg, were arrested in connection with the case. Four other members of the gang had been arrested earlier.