In a major crackdown on a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested a key accused and conducted widespread searches across five states. The operation is part of an ongoing money laundering investigation linked to the high-profile digital arrest case of Ludhiana-based eminent industrialist, SP Oswal.
Nationwide Raids and Key Arrest
On December 22, 2025, the Jalandhar Zonal Office of the ED executed search operations at 11 locations spanning Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Assam. The raids were authorized under the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. During these searches, officials recovered and seized a trove of incriminating documents and digital devices crucial to the probe.
The investigation gained significant momentum with the arrest of Rumi Kalita on December 23, 2025, under PMLA provisions. A court in Guwahati granted her a four-day transit remand. She was subsequently presented before the Special PMLA Court in Jalandhar, which remanded her to ED custody for 10 days, until January 2, 2026.
The Modus Operandi: A Rs 7 Crore Heist
The ED's probe unraveled a complex fraud where criminals, impersonating law enforcement officers, used forged official and judicial documents to intimidate and coerce SP Oswal. Under the threat of a so-called 'digital arrest,' the industrialist was forced to transfer a staggering Rs 7 crore into various bank accounts controlled by the fraudsters.
While authorities managed to freeze and recover Rs 5.24 crore from these accounts, the remaining amount was swiftly laundered. The funds were routed through a network of mule accounts opened in the names of unsuspecting individuals, including labourers and delivery personnel. The money was either further diverted or withdrawn in cash immediately to obscure its trail.
Layering of Crime Proceeds and Earlier Action
Investigations revealed that the accused, Rumi Kalita, allegedly provided the credentials for these mule accounts in exchange for a percentage of the cheated money as her commission. Evidence gathered indicates her deep involvement in the diversion and layering of the proceeds of crime.
This is not the first action in the case. The ED had previously conducted searches on January 31, 2025, which also led to the recovery of incriminating material. The current case originated from an FIR registered by the Cyber Crime Police Station in Ludhiana under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. The scope widened as the ED incorporated nine more FIRs filed by different police authorities against the same criminal group for similar cybercrime and digital arrest offenses.
The Enforcement Directorate has stated that the investigation is ongoing as it works to identify all members of the syndicate and trace the complete trail of the illicit funds.
