CBI conducts searches at multiple locations in several states; arrests 6 people

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as part of its ongoing efforts to combat cyber-enabled financial crimes under Operation Chakra V, has conducted coordinated searches at 19 locations across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh and arrested 6 people.

The CBI’s operation, which was carried out on Wednesday, culminated in the arrest of six key operatives and the dismantling of two illegal call centres engaged in a sophisticated transnational tech support scam targeting Japanese citizens, an official release issued here on Thursday said.

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The investigating agency also registered a case on the basis of credible intelligence indicating the existence of cybercrime syndicates defrauding foreign nationals, particularly Japanese citizens, by impersonating technical support personnel from reputed multinational corporations, including Microsoft.

The syndicate operated call centres designed to appear as legitimate customer service centres, through which victims were deceived into believing that their electronic devices were compromised. Under this pretext, victims were coerced into transferring funds into mule accounts, the release said.

Following the registration of the case, the CBI worked in close coordination with the National Police Agency of Japan and Microsoft Corporation.

This collaborative international engagement proved critical in identifying the perpetrators and tracing the operational structure of the syndicates, ultimately leading to the successful crackdown in India, it added.

During the searches, the CBI seized substantial digital and physical evidence indicative of the large-scale operations of the syndicate. Preliminary analysis confirms that the scam leveraged advanced social engineering techniques and technical subterfuge to manipulate victims and extract money under pretenses.

Reiterating its unwavering commitment to tackling the dynamic and evolving threats posed by cybercrime, the CBI said it continues to strengthen its strategic and operational capabilities in the domain of cybercrime detection, investigation, and prosecution in collaboration with domestic and international stakeholders.

Operations like Chakra V underline the agency’s resolve to bring cybercriminals to justice and safeguard citizens across borders from digital exploitation, it added.