Operation Chakra-V: CBI Busts Transnational Cybercrime Racket; Recovers Cryptocurrencies Worth ₹2.8 Crore; One Accused Arrested

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as part of its sustained operation against cybercrime under ‘Chakra-V’, conducted searches at three locations.

The case was registered on the basis of credible information regarding a cybercrime syndicate operating from India, targeting unsuspecting individuals in the USA and Canada by impersonating government officials and representatives of reputed tech support companies.

Acting on actionable intelligence developed during the investigation, CBI conducted these searches and uncovered incriminating evidence, busting the operation of a group engaged in transnational cyber fraud. The seized materials include tools for making international calls with masked caller identities, a lead-generation mechanism based on social engineering tactics, voice recordings, and other components of the cybercrime ecosystem.

In a significant breakthrough, the CBI also successfully seized proceeds of crime in the form of Virtual Digital Assets (VDA) worth ₹2.8 Crores along with unaccounted cash amounting to ₹22 lakhs from the possession of the suspect.

One accused has been arrested in connection with the case and is being produced before the Special CBI Court.

Notably, CBI has developed in-house capabilities for handling and seizure of Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) as part of its technology-driven approach for combating cybercrime. The agency has also put in place necessary systems for the management of such assets as per legal provisions. CBI has been successfully detecting and seizing VDAs in its various search operations.

This operation reflects CBI’s firm resolve under the 'Chakra-V' initiative to tackle cyber-enabled financial crimes through thorough, evidence-based investigation and bring perpetrators to justice."

Investigation is continuing.