CBI raids 80 locations across 16 states in crackdown on digital arrest scam, 2 held
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday conducted searches at 80 locations across 16 states as part of a nationwide crackdown on a network allegedly involved in digital arrest scams. The operation, codenamed 'Operation Chakra-VI', involved about 60 specialised teams carrying out coordinated searches from Punjab and Gujarat in the west to Assam and Manipur in the northeast.
According to officials, the network is linked to more than 200 cases of cyber-enabled fraud. The CBI said digital arrest scams have emerged as a major form of cyber extortion in which fraudsters impersonate police personnel, investigators from central agencies or judicial officials to intimidate victims. Victims are threatened with arrest or prosecution by falsely linking them to criminal activities and are coerced into transferring money to avoid legal action.
At the centre of the investigation is a website with a URL that closely resembled the official website of the Supreme Court of India. The fraudsters allegedly used this fraudulently registered domain to deceive victims under the guise of digital arrest. Based on a complaint received from the Registry of the Supreme Court, the CBI registered an FIR and commenced investigation.
The operation resulted in the arrest of two accused: B Naresh from Chennai and Sanjib Saha from Kolkata. According to investigators, the duo was part of a larger network that cheated citizens through impersonation, intimidation and technological deception. The CBI alleged that the accused helped establish a financial framework designed to conceal the movement of illicit funds by creating shell companies and operating mule bank accounts. These accounts were reportedly used for laundering approximately Rs 2 crore of suspected proceeds of crime.
Investigators also found that the fraudsters exploited public trust by creating forged documents that closely resembled official court orders, warrants and notices, and uploading them on the fake website to lend legitimacy to their claims. The agency said it deployed advanced forensic tools and technical expertise during the investigation and identified key components of the criminal infrastructure operating within India and overseas.
During the searches, investigators seized mobile phones, digital devices, banking records and other material that is being examined as part of the probe. The CBI has advised citizens to be cautious of such scams and to verify any suspicious communication purporting to be from law enforcement or judicial authorities.
