CBI arrests three in Rs 2.07-Crore ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud case

The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested three accused after searches in Odisha and Rajasthan in a ₹2.07-crore digital arrest scam. Investigators alleged the suspects laundered the fraud proceeds through multiple bank accounts and a trust to evade detection

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted searches at seven locations across Odisha and Rajasthan and arrested three accused, as part of its investigation into a Rs 2.07-crore ‘digital arrest’ scam in which a retired public servant was allegedly coerced into transferring funds under the threat of fabricated legal action, a statement said on Friday.

According to the agency statement, the searches were conducted on June 30 in connection with the case, which is being investigated pursuant to directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

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The CBI had registered the case on March 25 after allegations surfaced that cyber fraudsters posing as law enforcement and regulatory officials had intimidated a retired government employee into transferring Rs 2.07 crore through a series of transactions.

The arrested accused have been identified as Bibekananda Dixit and Jayant Kumar Acharya, both residents of Balasore in Odisha, and Kanhaiya Lal of Rajasthan’s Nagaur.

According to investigators, the accused were actively involved in layering and transferring the proceeds of crime through multiple bank accounts to conceal the origin of the funds and facilitate their movement within the cyber fraud network.

The probe revealed that the defrauded amount was ultimately routed into a bank account opened in the name of a trust. The accused allegedly played a crucial role in managing and dispersing the funds through a complex chain of transactions designed to evade scrutiny by law enforcement agencies.

During the searches conducted at the premises linked to the accused, the CBI seized various incriminating documents, digital devices, and electronic evidence, which are expected to provide further leads regarding the wider network involved in the scam.

Officials said the investigation is continuing and efforts are underway to identify other beneficiaries and facilitators connected to the fraud.

The agency also cautioned citizens against falling prey to cyber frauds involving fake investment schemes, impersonation calls from purported law enforcement or regulatory agencies, and threats of so-called ‘digital arrests’.