KOCHI: A member of a cyber fraud gang that allegedly cheated a retired judge in Rajasthan of Rs 2.5 crore by threatening him with a ‘digital arrest’ has been arrested from Varapuzha in Ernakulam district.
The accused, Anand Babu, of Varapuzha, was arrested by an investigation team led by Ernakulam Central Assistant Commissioner of Police Siby Tom, in coordination with Rajasthan Police.
According to police officials, the accused and his associates allegedly told the retired judge that he was linked to hawala transactions connected with the Pulwama case and threatened to arrest him.
They allegedly used the threat of arrest to extort Rs 2.5 crore from him.
A team from Rajasthan Police arrived in Kochi and sought assistance from the Kerala Police. Subsequently, the Ernakulam Central ACP’s investigation team joined the Rajasthan Police in the probe, which led to Anand Babu’s arrest from Varapuzha.
The team that carried out the operation included sub-inspectors Anoop C, Harish and E M Shaji, assistant sub-inspector Sunil Jalil and senior civil police officers Harish Babu, Vibin and Shijith.
The Rajasthan police informed their Kerala counterparts that more people from the state were allegedly involved in the fraud.
