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CBI Expands Digital Arrest Crackdown Under Supreme Court Pressure
Digital arrest scams are fake investigations carried out over video calls.
Criminals pretend to be police officers or government officials.
They frighten people by saying the victims are connected to serious crimes.
The victims are told to stay on video and send money for supposed verification.
Three people in the cases described have been arrested.
The victims included a professor, a doctor and an elderly businessman.
The CBI is searching many places to follow where the stolen money went.
The Supreme Court has ordered banks and authorities to improve their response.
The goal is to stop the scam networks and help victims recover their money.
The CBI searched 89 locations across 20 states under Operation Chakra-VI in three digital arrest scam cases.
Three suspects were arrested as investigators traced bank records, account-access trails and alleged proceeds of crime.
A BITS Pilani professor was allegedly defrauded of ₹7.67 crore over more than three months.
A Gujarat doctor allegedly transferred ₹19.24 crore after scammers ordered her to “park” assets during a fake investigation.
An 81-year-old Belagavi businessman allegedly lost ₹15.45 crore, while the Supreme Court continues pressing banks and authorities to act.
- Who
- The Central Bureau of Investigation, the Supreme Court, alleged digital-arrest fraudsters, suspected money handlers and victims including a professor, doctor and elderly businessman.
- What
- The CBI expanded a nationwide investigation into digital arrest scams involving alleged coercion, money transfers and mule accounts.
- Where
- Searches covered 20 Indian states; the cases involved Haryana, Kolkata, Gandhinagar in Gujarat, and Belagavi.
- When
- The latest searches were reported under Operation Chakra-VI; related scams occurred between October 2023 and March 2026, with Supreme Court directions issued through August 2026.
- Why
- Investigators are trying to identify the fraud networks and trace stolen funds, while the Supreme Court seeks faster prevention, account freezing and victim compensation.
Key facts
- Operation
- Operation Chakra-VI
- Latest CBI searches
- 89 locations across 20 states
- Arrests
- Three suspects reported arrested
- Professor’s alleged loss
- ₹7.67 crore in 42 transactions
- Doctor’s alleged loss
- ₹19.24 crore transferred to about 30 accounts
- Reported national losses
- Approximately ₹3,000 crore, according to a government submission to the Supreme Court
- Money restored
- About ₹18.05 crore across 36,290 cases
- Court direction
- The Supreme Court directed authorities to prepare a standard operating procedure and improve freezing and restoration mechanisms
Sources
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