The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) along with police from eight states, carried out searches at 115 locations across the country based on inputs provided by the United Statesโ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Interpol, Canadian Police and Australian Police.
At the time of filing the report, the central agency had arrested 16 people and recovered cash worth โน1.8 crores and 1.5kg of gold in connection with cyber fraud.
CBI spokesperson RC Joshi said that the agency carried out โOperation Chakraโ in co-ordination with Police Forces of eight States or Union Territories including Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Assam, Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar Island, Chandigarh, Haryana along with international agencies FBI, Interpol, Canadian Police, Australian Police and other Private Corporations.
Joshi said that searches were conducted at around 115 locations. โOf these, the CBI conducted searches in 11 cases at about 87 locations, including 16 states, while other State or Union Territory Police are conducting searches at around 28 locations including Assam Police in two places and Andaman & Nicobar Island Police in four places,โ he said.
โChandigarh Police were conducting searches in three places, Delhi Police in five places, Karnataka Police in 12 places and Punjab Police in two places,โ he said.
Joshi said that during searches so far, โน1.8 crores in cash and 1.5 kg of gold were recovered. He also said that two call centres in Pune and Ahmedabad were also unearthed by the CBI.
He said that bank accounts with an amount of around โน1.89 crores have been frozen in Karnataka. โHuge digital evidence, including mobiles, laptops, etc., has also been recovered,โ Joshi added.
Joshi said that the operation intends to dismantle the infrastructure of these international cybercrime gangs in India and bring these perpetrators to justice. He opined that Indiaโs fight against transnational organised cybercrime has thus achieved a major milestone.
