Digital Arrest Scam: CBI Searches 22 Locations, Arrests Two in Gujarat Fraud Case:

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on “digital arrest” scams under Operation Chakra-VI. The agency carried out coordinated searches at 22 locations across 10 states and arrested two more people in connection with a major digital arrest fraud case in Gujarat.

The action comes as the CBI continues its investigation into organised cybercrime networks involved in such scams. The Supreme Court has also directed the CBI to take coordinated action against those behind digital arrest crimes and the networks supporting them.

In the Gujarat case, a victim was allegedly kept under “digital arrest” for nearly three months by cybercriminals posing as police officers and officials of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The victim was allegedly forced to transfer Rs 11.42 crore to bank accounts controlled by the fraudsters.

Based on financial and technical analysis of the money trail, the CBI conducted searches at several locations. During the searches, the agency seized banking documents, account records, mobile phones and other digital devices. The material is being examined to identify the wider financial and technological network behind the fraud.

The CBI arrested Himanshu Prasad and Unis Biswas, alleging that they played a role in receiving, moving and distributing the stolen money. Investigators found that the bank account of M/s Hexaquest Global Pvt. Ltd. was allegedly used to receive Rs 2.5 crore from the Rs 11.42 crore defrauded from the victim. The money was then allegedly transferred to several other accounts linked to their associates in an attempt to hide the trail.

Investigators have also alleged that the two accused were involved in using bank accounts and installing APK files to divert money generated through digital arrest scams and other cybercrimes. Several chats, messages and documents were recovered from the digital devices seized during the searches. The CBI is now working to identify and arrest other members of the network.

The latest action is part of a wider CBI crackdown. In the past 30 days, the agency has conducted searches at 142 locations across 22 states in four digital arrest cases and arrested 17 accused persons. The searches were aimed at tracing the stolen money, identifying the people handling the funds and collecting evidence against the cybercrime networks.