The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out coordinated searches at more than 80 locations across 16 states, including Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, West Bengal, Manipur, Karnataka, and Odisha, as part of an ongoing investigation into digital arrest scams.
Investigation Targets Over 200 Digital Arrest Scam Cases
The searches were aimed at dismantling an operational network involved in over 200 cases of digital arrest scams. The CBI arrested two individuals from Chennai and Kolkata for their alleged role in incorporating shell companies and opening and operating mule bank accounts. These accounts were reportedly used to launder approximately Rs 2 crore of suspected proceeds of crime.
Fake Supreme Court Website Uncovered
The CBI had recently unearthed a fraudulent website with a URL deceptively similar to the official Supreme Court website. Based on a complaint from the Supreme Court Registry, the CBI registered an FIR and began investigations. Using advanced forensic tools, the agency identified critical elements of the criminal infrastructure operating both within India and abroad.
Forged Documents and Seized Evidence
Investigations revealed that perpetrators uploaded forged documents, including fake court orders and law enforcement agency documents, to lend credibility to their scams. During the searches, incriminating documents, digital devices, mobile phones, and bank transaction records were seized. These materials are undergoing detailed forensic examination, officials said.
International Victims and Ongoing Probe
The CBI found evidence that nationals of several other countries may have been defrauded by the same network. Law enforcement agencies in those jurisdictions are being alerted through appropriate channels, CBI sources said, adding that the case is still under investigation.
