CHANDIGARH: The State Cyber Crime Division of Punjab Police has arrested the prime accused for running a fake website impersonating the official website of the Mining Department of the Punjab Government.The accused generated 2,000 counterfeit receipts and forms, facilitating the movement of vehicles involved in illegal mining. This resulted in a loss of around Rs 40 to Rs 50 lakh to the state exchequer.Director General of Police, Punjab, Gaurav Yadav said on Monday that the accused, Gaurav Kumar from Kharar in SAS Nagar, had created an exact replica of the official Mining Department website ‘minesgeologypunjab.gov.in,’ impersonating it as ‘minesgeologypunjab.in.’The accused created the fake website in November 2024, and it remained operational until January 2025.Yadav said the fake slips even included a Bar/QR code similar to the official mining website, allowing vehicles to pass security checks meant to curb illegal mining.The initial investigation revealed that the accused, in connivance with a person from Ferozepur, generated over 2,000 fake mining receipts, causing an estimated loss of Rs 40 to Rs 50 lakh to the Punjab government exchequer, he added.He said the website backup, along with data containing details of fake receipts, images of vehicles, mining material sources and destinations, and the computer systems used in the offence, has been recovered. Further investigation is underway to uncover the full nexus, he added.
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