Face2News/Kottayam (Kerala)
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted extensive searches across six states and arrested three accused in connection with a high-value “Digital Arrest” fraud case involving approximately ₹1.86 crore.
The case pertains to the defrauding of a senior citizen from Kottayam district, Kerala. Through meticulous digital forensics and financial trail analysis, investigators uncovered a complex network spanning multiple Indian states, with indications of international linkages.
The CBI launched synchronized search and arrest operations on Wednesday targeting two critical components of the cyber-fraud ecosystem: Mule bank account networks, fraudulently procured SIM cards. Searches were conducted at multiple locations in Goa, Bengaluru (Karnataka), Palakkad (Kerala), Nagpur (Maharashtra), Hyderabad (Telangana) and Delhi.
(SUBHEAD)During the searches, investigators seized digital devices, debit cards, bank account documentation, and other incriminating materials. The seized evidence is currently undergoing detailed examination.
A Mule Account Operator was arrested from a hotel in Goa, the accused is suspected to have played a key role in operating mule accounts and facilitating cryptocurrency transactions linked to this fraud. Several digital devices containing incriminating data were seized from his possession.
A Shell Company Operator was apprehended in Nagpur for managing mule account through a shell company. A substantial number of debit cards and digital devices were recovered from the premises linked to him. A SIM Card Fraud Facilitator was arrested from Bengaluru, he was involved in procuring SIM cards fraudulently. He allegedly duped unsuspecting individuals by offering “5G SIM upgrades,” misusing their KYC documents to activate SIM cards that were subsequently used in cyber-fraud operations believed to originate from abroad.
Investigation is ongoing to identify additional domestic and international collaborators and to dismantle the broader cyber-fraud infrastructure. This operation represents a step in dismantling the enabling ecosystem behind “Digital Arrest” scams.