The Ahmedabad City Cyber Crime Branch has successfully dismantled the core of an interstate gang that used cutting-edge artificial intelligence to commit sophisticated financial fraud. Officials arrested three additional masterminds from Uttar Pradesh and Assam who bypassed biometric security to hijack identities and secure illegal loans.
The Investigation And Arrests
The operation targeted a gang that modified electronic records to create false identities. The three newly arrested are Krishna Rampratap Motilal Prajapati (22), based in Uttar Pradesh, who acted as a data broker, sourcing Aadhaar numbers and photos to pass to other members for a commission; Rabbul Hussain (24), a student from Assam who handled the technical execution of the fraud, including the creation of deepfakes and opening fraudulent bank accounts; and Kajimuddin (49), also from Assam, who facilitated the laundering of stolen loan funds through his personal bank accounts.
The “Deepfake” Modus Operandi
The gang’s process was a highly organised exploitation of digital vulnerabilities. Using platforms like MastersIndia and Peridot, the suspects obtained GST and PAN details of their targets. They used PAN details to download CIBIL reports from CRIF High Mark, allowing them to see registered mobile numbers and creditworthiness. After collecting victim photos from social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram, the suspects used AI platforms, including Gemini and Meta AI, to generate “Eye Blink” deepfake videos from static images.
These AI-generated videos were then shown to Aadhaar UCL kits to trick “Live Face” verification. This allowed the gang to change the Aadhaar-linked mobile number to one in their possession without the victim ever receiving an OTP. With the mobile number changed, they gained full access to the victim’s DigiLocker and opened accounts in various banks to apply for personal loans.
This case highlights a dangerous new frontier in cybercrime where AI tools are weaponised to bypass traditional biometric and OTP-based security measures.