Pune: The Pimpri Chinchwad cyber police on Thursday arrested an alleged cybercrook linked to an international cybercrime syndicate after he was traced in Thailand through a red corner notice and a lookout circular (LOC), and subsequently deported to India.A police team led by assistant police inspector Pravin Swami of Pimpri Chinchwad cyber police took accused Saurabh alias Ganesh Kale (33), a resident of Jat in Sangli district, into custody at Mumbai airport after he was deported from Thailand on Wednesday.Police said Kale was part of a cybercrime racket operating from Dubai and Bangkok. Along with his Chinese handlers, he allegedly duped several Indians of crores of rupees through online task frauds, share-trading scams and digital arrest frauds.Kale’s name surfaced during the investigation of an online task fraud case registered with the Dehu Road police in June 2024. In that case, a 26-year-old engineer employed with a private company was duped of Rs33,000. The Pimpri Chinchwad cyber police arrested 13 people in the case, and one of them spilled the beans about Kale’s involvement in the racket.According to investigators, Kale was operating from Dubai, where he had established an office. The arrested accused allegedly supplied him with mule bank accounts that were used to receive money from cyber fraud victims.“Investigations also revealed that Kale was involved in a share fraud case in which a 67-year-old man lost Rs18 lakh. The case was registered with the Hinjewadi police in June 2024. He was also linked to a Rs2.52-crore share fraud case in which a 69-year-old man was duped. That case was registered with the Pimpri Chinchwad cyber police in March last year,” an officer from the Pimpri Chinchwad crime branch said.The police team led by senior police inspector Ravikiran Nale submitted an extradition proposal to Dubai with the help of the state govt and the Union home ministry.“When Kale came to know about the extradition proposal, he shifted his base to Bangkok in Thailand in Sept 2025,” the officer said.He added that the cyber police then sought Interpol’s assistance and secured the issuance of a red corner notice and a lookout circular against Kale in May this year. Thai security agencies traced Kale on May 24 before he could flee to another country.“We took him into custody on Thursday as soon as he landed at Mumbai airport,” the officer said.The officer said Kale initially worked with a multi-level marketing firm in Pune. He later came in contact with cybercrooks, began providing mule bank accounts to his handlers and subsequently shifted to Dubai.“Kale was also involved in two cybercrime cases registered with the Mumbai police and two cases registered with the Cyberabad police in Telangana,” the officer added.
