CBI busts Rs 1.86 crore ‘Digital Arrest’ scam

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has completed a large-scale raid operation in six states, arresting three suspects in a high-stakes digital arrest fraud case amounting to approximately Rs 1.86 crores. The raid operation took place in New Delhi on February 25 against a senior citizen from Kerala’s Kottayam district who was cheated in the scam.

Digital forensic analysis and financial tracking have shown that the massive network of fraud spans across multiple states and possibly even international borders. The case analysis indicates international connections as the authorities work to understand the mechanics of the scam.

On February 25, the CBI conducted a simultaneous raid operation to cripple two vital components of the cybercrime ring: mule bank accounts and SIM cards obtained through illegal means. The raid operation took place in Goa, Bengaluru (Karnataka), Palakkad (Kerala), Nagpur (Maharashtra), Hyderabad (Telangana), and Delhi.

The CBI has managed to seize digital devices, debit cards, bank documents, and other incriminating evidence, all of which are currently undergoing a thorough forensic analysis.

One of the arrested individuals is Blessin Jacob Abraham, who was arrested from a hotel in Goa. He is suspected of maintaining mule accounts and facilitating cryptocurrency transactions related to the scam.

Mohammad Mushtaque, a suspected shell company owner in Nagpur, was arrested for allegedly using company accounts to launder the ill-gotten money. Several debit cards and digital devices were seized from properties owned by him.

In Bengaluru, Mohammad Junaid was arrested for allegedly obtaining SIM cards through fraudulent means. He is accused of cheating people with “5G SIM upgrades”, using their KYC information to activate SIM cards that prosecutors believe were later used in cybercrimes likely sourced from abroad.