Hyderabad: At least 16 persons from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were among the 26 arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after conducting a multi-city operation targeting a highly organized cybercrime network involved in fraudulent activities targeting victims globally.
The operation has led to a significant disruption and dismantling of a major transnational technology enabled crime network. On the basis of inputs on the organized cybercrime network, the agency’s international operations division registered a case (RC2312024S0010) on September 24, under Sections 61 and 318 of BNSS, 2023 and the Information Technology Act as part of the ongoing ‘Operation Chakra-III’, according to a statement here on Monday.
After launching an investigation, the CBI conducted coordinated searches at 32 different places across Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Visakhapatnam from late on September 26. They able to intercept 170 persons engaged in online criminal activities across four call centres — VC Infrometrix Pvt. Ltd at Regent Plaza, Pune; VC Infrometrix Pvt. Ltd at Murlinagar in Visakhapatnam; Viajex Solutions in Hyderabad and Atriya Global Services Pvt. Ltd in Visakhapatnam, the statement said.
The CBI has so far placed under arrest 26 accused, including 10 from Pune, five from Hyderabad and 11 from Visakhapatnam, while investigation and questioning the role of other workers at these illegal call centers is still underway.
These operations have resulted in seizure of critical digital evidence and incriminating material. Around 951 items have been seized, including electronic devices, mobile phones, laptops, financial information, communication records and incriminating material used for criminal activities and defrauding victims.
Additionally, Rs 58.45 lakh in cash, locker keys and three luxury vehicles have been recovered.
The cyber criminals were also involved in a range of illicit activities, including impersonating as tech support services and approaching victims, especially in the USA under the pretext that the victim’s systems have been hacked.
Victims were made to believe that their identities have been stolen and that a large number of unauthorized transactions are being made in their bank accounts. The victims were falsely made to believe that they were under surveillance of law enforcement agencies due to suspicious orders allegedly placed by them.
The cyber criminals then induced victims to transfer their bank holdings into new bank accounts given by cyber criminals to ‘safeguard’ their finances. In some instances, the cyber criminals intimidated victims into transfer of funds through international gift cards or crypto currency. Extensive wrongful losses were incurred by the victims. Investigations into the broader network and working on international leads are proceeding in close coordination with HSI (USA) and other foreign law enforcement agencies.
As part of larger ongoing operation Chakra-III, the CBI’s international operations division has been rapidly identifying and taking action on organized technology-enabled crime networks in tandem with Interpol and foreign law enforcement agencies.
