The arrested accused Mohammad Javed Akhtar and Mohammad Swaleh (Photo: Kanpur Police, X account)
A case of cyber fraud, ‘Digital Arrest,’ has come to light from the Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, where a cleric and an engineer were found operating a digital fraud racket using a madrasa as a front. The accused, Maulana Mohammad Javed Akhtar and Mohammad Swaleh, were arrested on December 28, for scamming unsuspecting victims and laundering money through the Qasimul Uloom Foundation madrasa.
Details of the Fraud
The racket came to light after a businessman from Vadodara, Gujarat, was defrauded of Rs 65 lakh through a scheme involving “digital arrests.” The duo transferred Rs 32.50 lakh from the stolen amount to the madrasa’s account, which was later frozen by the Vadodara Police.
The accused used the madrasa’s bank account to hide their fraudulent transactions, claiming the money was for charitable purposes. Maulana Akhtar, originally from Darbhanga, Bihar, and residing at Yatimkhana in Kanpur, used to take a 20-30 per cent commission from the fraudulent proceeds.
Swaleh, a B.Tech graduate from Beconganj, handled the technical aspects of the operation, including transferring and dividing the stolen money among multiple accounts.
Police Investigation and Arrest
Following complaints from the businessman, Vadodara Police froze the madrasa’s account. In response, Akhtar filed a complaint with the Kanpur police, claiming the money was sent for charity and denying involvement in cybercrime. However, further investigation revealed the extent of their operation.
Acting on intelligence, a team from the Colonelganj Police Station arrested Akhtar and Swaleh at the GIC ground in Kanpur, where they were planning their next cybercrime. Two other gang members managed to escape under the cover of darkness and are currently at large. The police are also investigating possible links to other madrasas in Lucknow and Delhi.
Criminal Charges
An FIR was registered under FIR Number 162/2024, with Sections 111, 318(4), 338, 336(3), 340(2) Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and 66D of the IT Act. The accused include Mohammad Javed Akhtar, aged 40, a resident of Yatimkhana, Colonelganj, Kanpur, who originally hails from Rajoda, Darbhanga, Bihar, and Mohammad Swaleh, aged 25, a resident of Hiraman Ka Purwa, Beconganj, Kanpur.
Police Statement
DCP Central Dinesh Tripathi confirmed the arrests and outlined the modus operandi. According to the police press release, the gang targeted individuals through mobile and internet banking fraud, transferring money to the madrasa’s account to avoid suspicion.
The press note revealed: “We and some of our associates cheat people through internet banking, transferring funds to our madrasa’s charity account. Later, we divide the money among ourselves.”
Madrasa’s caught teaching: “How to derail trains?”
On December 15, 2024, Organiser reported two alarming cases from Jhansi and Kanpur, where madrasa students were reportedly taught techniques to sabotage railway tracks, potentially causing train accidents. A subsequent investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) has uncovered a larger conspiracy targeting trains in these regions.
According to the probe, students in certain madrasas were being radicalised and incited to engage in activities aimed at derailing trains. Investigators revealed that some youths were receiving explicit training on how to execute such acts. This training was reportedly being conducted through online platforms, and several incriminating videos have been recovered during recent raids, shedding light on the scale and methods of the operation.
Impact and Next Steps
The police are now working with cyber and surveillance teams to trace the absconding members and investigate possible connections to other institutions. Efforts are underway to uncover additional frauds linked to the gang and determine whether other madrasas in Lucknow and Delhi were involved.
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