The Ludhiana cyber crime police are set to question two accused arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the ₹7-crore cyber fraud case involving Padma Bhushan awardee and veteran industrialist SP Oswal, chairman of the Ludhiana-based Vardhman Group.
The accused were recently arrested by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. (HT File)
The city police have initiated steps to bring the two accused — Arpit Rathore and Rumi Kalita of Assam — on production warrants for detailed interrogation in connection with the cyber fraud case. Both were recently arrested by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Additional deputy commissioner of police (DCP, Cyber Crime) Vaibhav Sehgal said that while Rathore was not earlier named among the wanted accused by the cyber crime police, Kalita had already been under the scanner. “Since the ED has arrested both suspects for their alleged links with the fraud, they will be brought on production warrants for questioning,” Sehgal said.
The DCP clarified that the investigation into the cyber fraud continues to be handled by the Ludhiana Police, while the ED has taken suo motu cognisance of the case to probe the money trail under the PMLA. He added that inputs shared by the ED were expected to strengthen the local police investigation.
Sehgal further said that the Ludhiana police had re-arrested Atnu Chaudhry of Guwahati in May 2025 after he failed to join the investigation. Chaudhry, along with Anand Kumar, had first been arrested by the cyber crime police station in September 2024 but was released on bail shortly thereafter with directions to cooperate with the probe.
During the course of the investigation, several associates of the accused were identified, including Nimmi Bhattacharjee, Alok Rangi, Gulam Mortaza, Sanjay Sutradhar, Rintu, Rumi Kalita and Zakir. Of these, Kalita has now been arrested by the ED.
The Ludhiana cyber crime police station had registered an FIR on August 31, 2024, after Oswal was allegedly duped of ₹7 crore. According to police, the fraudsters kept the 82-year-old industrialist under constant virtual surveillance by instructing him to keep his Skype camera on and directing him not to make or receive calls or messages while the fraud was being executed.