Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: A Goa connection has emerged in the Rs 1.86 crore “Digital Arrest” fraud case, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arresting a key accused from a hotel in the state during coordinated searches across six states.
According to the CBI, a mule account operator was apprehended from a hotel in Goa for allegedly playing a crucial role in operating mule bank accounts and facilitating cryptocurrency transactions linked to the fraud. Several digital devices containing incriminating data were seized from his possession during the search.
The case relates to the alleged defrauding of a senior citizen from Kottayam district in Kerala. Following digital forensic analysis and tracking of financial trails, investigators uncovered a wider cyber-fraud network spanning multiple states, with indications of international linkages.
Simultaneous searches were conducted in Goa, Bengaluru, Palakkad, Nagpur, Hyderabad and Delhi, targeting mule bank account networks and fraudulently procured SIM cards — both considered critical components of the cyber-crime ecosystem.
Apart from the Goa arrest, the CBI also apprehended a shell company operator in Nagpur and a SIM card fraud facilitator in Bengaluru. Investigators recovered debit cards, digital devices and bank account documents from various locations.
