HYDERABAD: Hyderabad police on Friday revealed that its cybercrime unit has arrested up to 23 persons, including a 60-year-old woman operating an NGO, for their alleged involvement in 359 cybercrime cases across India with 30 in Telangana. The arrests followed extensive operations by five dedicated teams across multiple states Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and AP.
Cybercrimes DCP Dara Kavitha said the teams coordinated with the police units across different states to track and apprehend the accused. The police seized Rs 40,000, 25 mobile phones, 45 SIM cards, 23 debit cards, and five shell company stamps, she added.
In one case, the police arrested Kamlesh Kumari (60) from Uttar Pradesh, accused of siphoning Rs 1.90 crore through unauthorised transactions. Kumari is a member of a political party and even contested a recent election in UP. She is also accused of allowing the bank account of her NGO to be used for illegal financial activities in exchange for Rs 35 lakh, the DCP said.
Dara Kavitha revealed that when the police sought a transit warrant from a local court in Uttar Pradesh, 10 advocates represented the 60-year-old accused woman. The court granted the warrant based on evidence provided by the Hyderabad police, she said.
The DCP said a 70-year-old person fell victim to Kamlesh Kumari’s scam and lost Rs 1.90 crore on December 12, 2024. However, after the victim contacted bank officials and the police, the lost funds were frozen in the accused person’s bank account. “Efforts are on to trace other accused involved in this case,” Dara Kavitha said.
In another incident, Karnataka residents, Sameer Hundekar and Deepak Sampath, were also detained for their involvement in a Rs 2.95 crore trading fraud. They orchestrated a scam targeting investors in fake trading schemes.