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CBI conducts raids in 7 states, arrests 3 over cyber crimes, digital arrests
The CBI action was in continuation of the agency’s efforts under Operation Chakra-V to combat cybercrime and digital arrest scams
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday carried out raids at several locations in seven states including Delhi, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh in its probe into cyber crimes including digital arrest scandals and arrested three individuals, in which it had last month unearthed 850,000 bank mule accounts used by cyber criminals in 700 bank branches across India.
A CBI spokesperson said on Wednesday that “in continuation of the efforts under Operation Chakra-V to combat cybercrime and digital arrest scams, raids were conducted at multiple locations across seven states,” adding that searches resulted in recovery of voluminous incriminating evidence including mobile phones, bank account opening documents, transaction records and KYC papers.
“The operation has also led to the arrest of three individuals for their active role in facilitating and operating mule bank accounts used to channel and conceal proceeds of various cyber frauds,” the spokesperson said.
Earlier, 10 people were arrested in the case.
The federal agency had registered a case on June 25 against 37 persons as part of probe against mule account holders, middlemen or agents, and bank employees who allegedly colluded with cybercriminals to open and operate mule accounts used for receiving, transferring and withdrawing proceeds of cyber frauds.
The raids were conducted on June 26 and 27 at 40 locations across various states.
“The searches are aimed at dismantling the infrastructure of cybercrime syndicates by identifying and neutralising mule accounts that channel and conceal proceeds of crimes. The arrested individuals facilitated the operation of these mule bank accounts which were used to transfer the proceeds of crimes generated through digital arrest scams, impersonation, fraudulent advertisements, investment frauds and other related cyber offences,” the spokesperson said on Wednesday.
CBI, the spokesperson said, has adopted a strategic approach in the fight against cybercrime, focusing on targeting the key pillars of the cybercrime infrastructure. “The first pillar is the financial infrastructure, involving mule accounts, unauthorized payment gateways and the wider fintech ecosystem misused by cybercriminals. The second pillar is the telecom/ communication infrastructure involving mule SIM cards, point-of-sale (PoS) agents facilitating illegal SIM activations and networks supplying such SIM cards. The third pillar is the human resource network which consists of organized syndicates engaged in the recruitment and exploitation of people for executing cybercrimes, otherwise what is now known as ‘cyber slavery’. The third pillar most of the times operates outside the boundaries of India,” the CBI spokesperson added.
