CBI Arrests Two Men in 16-State Raids Over Fake Supreme Court Website Scam
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted coordinated searches at over 80 locations across 16 states, including Delhi, to dismantle a massive cybercrime network involved in more than 200 "Digital Arrest" scams. The nationwide operation was launched following a complaint from the Registry of the Supreme Court of India in Delhi, leading to the arrest of two suspects and the tracking of approximately ₹2 crore in laundered funds.
The arrested individuals have been identified by the agency as Naresh, a resident of Chennai, and Sanjib Saha, a resident of Kolkata. The CBI stated that the accused were actively involved in the incorporation of shell companies and the opening and operation of mule bank accounts. These accounts were allegedly used to funnel and launder the suspected proceeds of the digital arrest crimes.
Under the banner of "Operation Chakra-VI," the federal agency constituted 60 special teams to execute the raids. The searches covered locations across 16 states, including Delhi, Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, West Bengal, Manipur, Karnataka, and Odisha.
The CBI's action follows the recent discovery of a fraudulent website bearing a URL deceptively similar to the official website of the Supreme Court of India. According to investigators, the fraudsters used this registered domain to execute their digital arrest scams. Leveraging advanced forensic tools and technical expertise, the CBI identified critical elements of the criminal infrastructure operating both within India and abroad.
The investigation revealed that the perpetrators uploaded forged documents, including fake orders resembling those issued by courts and various law enforcement agencies, to lend credibility to their fraudulent activities. During the searches, the CBI seized several incriminating documents, digital devices, mobile phones, and records relating to bank transactions.
The agency also found evidence indicating that, in addition to Indian citizens, nationals of several other countries may have been cheated by the same network. The CBI is currently alerting the law enforcement agencies of the concerned foreign jurisdictions through appropriate channels as the investigation continues.
