The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has intensified its fight against cybercrime with a broad investigation on digital arrest scams. Chakra‑VI (Central Bureau of Investigation) searched more than 80 locations in 16 states and uncovered a sophisticated network of fraudsters who exploited trust in institutions to take money from the unsuspecting people.
The scam was characterized by criminals impersonating police officers, central agency investigators, and even judicial authorities, the officials said. Victims were threatened with arrest or prosecution for alleged crimes and coerced into transferring large sums of money to avoid “digital arrest.” To make their schemes seem legitimate, fraudsters created shell companies and mule bank accounts. They also laundered crores of rupees through these channels.
During the raids, CBI investigators arrested two suspects, B. Naresh of Chennai and Sanjib Saha from Kolkata, who allegedly set up fake companies and accounts for the fraud. Investigators also found a fake Supreme Court website based on the official portal. This site had forged documents that looked like court orders and warrants and was used to intimidate victims into bending the rules.
The operation was conducted by 60 special teams, targeting states like Punjab, Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, West Bengal, Manipur, Karnataka, and Odisha. Digital devices, mobile phones, bank records, and forged documents were seized during the raids, and forensic analysis is ongoing to trace the wider network.
The scam had international dimensions, authorities found, and foreign nationals were also defrauded. The CBI is working with global law enforcement agencies to investigate cross‑border links. Early investigations have shown that the network is connected with more than 200 cases of cyber‑enabled fraud across India.
Public officials have issued a public advisory, advising citizens to be vigilant. The Supreme Court does not issue arrest warrants online, and any message seeking to make money under threat of arrest is fake, they said. People are directed to verify official communications and report suspicious activity to the authorities.
Taken together, the CBI’s raids are one of the largest crackdowns on cyber‑enabled extortion in India. It is by taking down critical infrastructure and bringing in key suspects that the agency’s message is sending out to the world about digital fraud. And it is an examination, in a big way, of how large fraud is in India and how necessary it is for the public to be educated about how to avoid future scams.
