CBI Cracks Down on Digital Arrest Scams: 80+ Locations Raided, Two Arrested
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted coordinated searches at over 80 locations across India as part of a major crackdown on the infrastructure behind Digital Arrest scams. The action is connected to more than 200 cases, and two individuals have been arrested so far.
The accused have been identified as Naresh from Chennai and Sanjib Saha, a resident of Kolkata.
Under Operation Chakra-VI, the CBI formed 60 special teams and carried out searches in 16 states: Punjab, Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, West Bengal, Manipur, Karnataka, and Odisha.
Digital Arrest scams involve fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officials who claim the victim has committed a crime and demand payment to avoid arrest. The CBI stated that the searches were part of an ongoing investigation to dismantle a targeted operational network involved in over 200 such cases.
The arrested accused were involved in incorporating shell companies and opening and operating mule bank accounts. These accounts were reportedly used to launder approximately ₹2 crore in suspected proceeds of crime.
In a related development, the CBI recently uncovered a fraudulent website with a URL deceptively similar to the official website of the Supreme Court of India. The fraudsters allegedly used the registered domain to deceive victims through the Digital Arrest modus operandi. Based on a complaint from the Supreme Court Registry, the CBI registered a case and launched an investigation.
Using advanced forensic tools and technical expertise, the CBI identified critical elements of the criminal infrastructure operating both within India and abroad. The investigation revealed that the perpetrators uploaded forged documents, including fake orders resembling those issued by courts and law enforcement agencies, to lend credibility to their fraudulent activities.
During the searches, the CBI seized incriminating documents, digital devices, mobile phones, and records related to bank transactions. Evidence also indicated that nationals of several other countries may have been cheated by the same network. The law enforcement agencies of the concerned jurisdictions are being alerted through appropriate channels.
