4 Chandigarh cops suspended for connivance with accused in 2022 loan app scam

In a significant development in the 2022 loan app scam, four personnel of the Chandigarh Police were suspended for their alleged involvement in concealing and suppressing evidence.

As per police, inspector Ranjeet Singh, sub-inspector (SI) KD Singh, head constable Bahadur Singh and head constable Rajinder Singh were found to have colluded with the accused, compromising public interest and justice.

According to the revelations, after serving a notice to one of the accused, the suspended officials did not take further action against him, thereby providing undue benefit to the accused. This negligence and malfeasance have led to their suspension, and both departmental and criminal actions will be initiated against them.

The case had garnered attention as it involved international dimensions, with one Chinese national already arrested and ongoing proceedings against other foreign nationals.

In September 2022, a 21-member gang, involved in an extensive online loan fraud scheme, was dismantled. Among those arrested was a Chinese national who was living illegally in India. The gang’s modus operandi involved duping people under the guise of providing instant loans through online applications.

Victims received links offering instant loans via SMS or Facebook. Clicking the link led to the installation of an“Hugo Loan” app, which granted the suspects access to the victims’ contacts and gallery. A small loan amount was deposited into the victims’ accounts. Even if the money was repaid, the suspects made threat calls demanding more money. They also threatened to share morphed photos with the victims’ contacts.

Investigations suggest that the instant loan application was developed and managed by Chinese nationals. The scheme targeted individuals in India by hiring local staff to operate call centres. The staff were trained to blackmail victims by issuing small loans and then coercing them to deposit money repeatedly under duress.