The Centra Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted searches at 80 locations in 16 states to dismantle a network that ensnared hundreds of people in digital arrest scams using a URL similar to that of the Supreme Court website, officials said Thursday.
The agency deployed 60 specialised teams across 16 states stretching from Punjab and Gujarat in the west to Assam and Manipur in the northeast as part of 'Operation Chakra-VI' that dismantled the network allegedly linked to over 200 cases of cyber-enabled fraud.
Digital arrest scam has emerged as one of the most pernicious forms of cyber-enabled extortion where victims are contacted by individuals impersonating police officers, central agencies investigators or judicial officials.
Victims are threatened of being implicating in a criminal activity and coerced to make payments to avoid arrest or prosecution.
At the centre of this scam is a website bearing a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) "deceptively similar" to the official website of the Supreme Court of India, the CBI stated.
"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 of India, the CBI registered an FIR and commenced investigation into the matter," the spokesperson said.
The operation culminated with the arrest of two accused individuals, B Naresh and Sanjib Saha, from Chennai and Kolkata respectively.
They were part of the gang that cheated citizens through deception, intimidation and technological subterfuge, they said.
The arrested suspects were allegedly involved in creating a financial scaffolding to cover money trail by setting up shell companies and opening and operating mule bank accounts. "These accounts were reportedly used for laundering approximately Rs two crore of suspected proceeds of crime," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.
The fraudsters allegedly exploited public trust by creating forged documents that closely resembled official court orders, warrants and notices on the URL mimicking the Supreme Court website.
"Investigation has revealed that the perpetrators uploaded forged and fabricated documents, including fake orders resembling those issued by courts and various law enforcement agencies, to lend credibility to their fraudulent activities," the spokesperson said.
The agency leveraged advanced forensic tools and technical expertise, identifying critical elements of the criminal infrastructure operating both within India and abroad.
The CBI said the inquiry has uncovered evidence suggesting that the criminal enterprise may have targeted foreign nationals in addition to Indian citizens.
During the searches, investigators seized mobile phones, digital devices, banking records and other incriminating material.
(With inputs from PTI)