The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted searches at 80 locations across 16 states as part of a nationwide crackdown on a cyber fraud network accused of running “digital arrest” scams through a website that allegedly mimicked the Supreme Court’s official portal.
The operation, codenamed Operation Chakra-VI, involved 60 specialised teams deployed across states ranging from Punjab and Gujarat to Assam and Manipur. According to officials, the network is linked to more than 200 cases of cyber-enabled fraud.
The action followed a complaint from the Supreme Court Registry regarding a website with a URL deceptively similar to that of the apex court. The CBI registered an FIR and launched an investigation, alleging that fraudsters used the fake domain to lend legitimacy to their scams.
In a digital arrest fraud, victims are contacted by individuals posing as police personnel, investigators from central agencies or judicial officials. They are falsely informed that they are involved in criminal activities and are threatened with arrest, prosecution or legal action unless they transfer money.
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The CBI said the fraudsters allegedly created forged documents resembling court orders, warrants and notices issued by law enforcement agencies. These fabricated documents were uploaded to the fake website to convince victims that the threats were genuine.
The nationwide searches culminated in the arrest of two accused — B Naresh from Chennai and Sanjib Saha from Kolkata. Investigators allege the duo helped establish shell companies and operated mule bank accounts to conceal the movement of illicit funds.
According to the agency, these accounts were used to launder nearly Rs 2 crore suspected to be proceeds of crime.
The probe has also revealed indications that the network may have targeted foreign nationals in addition to Indian citizens. The CBI said it used advanced forensic tools and technical expertise to identify key elements of the criminal infrastructure, some of which were operating from outside India.
During the raids, officials seized mobile phones, digital devices, banking records and other material believed to be linked to the fraud.
The investigation is continuing to identify other members of the syndicate and trace the wider financial and technological network behind the scam.
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