Operation Chakra-VI: CBI conducts nationwide raids in 80 locations against digital arrest fraud network; 2 arrested

The Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) on Thursday conducted coordinated searches in more than 80 locations across the country in connection with digital arrests scams that have been plaguing the country for the past few years.

The CBI, under Operation Chakra-VI, constituted 60 special teams and conducted coordinated searches at more than 80 locations across 16 states, namely Punjab, Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, West Bengal, Manipur, Karnataka and Odisha.

Two persons, one from Kolkata and one from Chennai, have been arrested post the raids. They were allegedly involved in incorporating of shell companies and opening as well as operating mule bank accounts which were used to launder around ₹2 crore of suspected proceeds of crime.

The searches were a part of a ongoing operation which is aimed at dismantling an operational network which has been involved in more than 200 cases of digital arrest scams.

Fraudulent website posing as SC website

The CBI, as per a press release, has been able to unearth a fraudulent website being used by the scammers, the URL of which was 'deceptively similar' to the official website of the Supreme Court of India.

This website was allegedly used by the fraudsters to deceive victims under claims of a digital arrest. After a complaint was filed with the CBI by the Registry of the Supreme Court, the central agency lodged an FIR and began probing the matter.

Elements of this wide criminal infrastructure was identified by the CBI using advanced forensic tools and technical expertise, post which it was revealed that the perpetrators, in order to make their activities appear credible, uploaded forged or fabricated documents, which also included fake orders resembling those issued by the court.

A number of incriminating documents, mobile phones, records related to bank transactions, and other digital devices were seized during the searches.

The agency has also found evidence that besides Indian citizens, foreign nationals were also defrauded by this network. The law enforcement agencies in these jurisdictions are bieng contacted regarding the same, the CBI revealed.

The agency said that it “remains committed to dismantling cybercrime infrastructure and ensuring justice for victims of cyber-enabled frauds, including digital arrest scams.”

Indian consumers lose 36% more than global average to digital fraud: Report

India suffers more from digital arrests when compared to the world average, as per a report by TransUnion.

The report revealed that the median losses by Indian consumers to digital fraud were 36% higher than the global median in 2025 despite the number of digital fraud cases falling sharply.

While Indian consumers lost a median of $2,265 in 2025 to digital fraud, the global median stood at $1671.