Latest news with #OperationChakraV
Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Indian Express
CBI arrests head of ‘Robocall gang' that duped US, Canada citizens
The Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested a man alleged to be one of the heads of the notorious Royal Tiger AI -based robocall gang. The gang allegedly makes automated calls to victims in US and Canada to defraud them by impersonating government entities and banks. Infact, last year, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) listed Royal Tiger as one of the two Indian entities involved in the making of robocalls and had named the accused, identified as Prince Jashvantlal Anand from Mumbai, along with one Kaushal Bhavsar—an associate who headed the Royal Tiger group. On Friday, the CBI mentioned that it conducted coordinated search operations at multiple locations in Ahmedabad and Mumbai on Wednesday in connection with a transnational cyber extortion case. The searches led to the recovery of incriminating evidence. Anand, the main suspect alleged to be behind the transnational cyber extortion syndicate, was arrested from Mumbai on Thursday. He was produced before the CBI court, which sent him to four days' remand. The CBI said the case pertains to a sophisticated international fraud involved in cheating foreign nationals, particularly US and Canadian citizens, by impersonating government officials, threatening them with false allegations, and subsequently extorting funds. The proceeds of crime were found to be received in the form of crypto currencies. During the operation, the accused was found in possession of a well-organized ecosystem used for committing cyber frauds, which included, telecommunication setup, pre-drafted scam scripts, forged identity badges, and ID cards purporting to be of Canadian law enforcement authorities. Further, virtual digital assets worth approximately 45,000 US dollars were seized from the accused. He was also found to be leading a lavish lifestyle, as evidenced by the recovery of luxury vehicles, high-end accessories, frequent foreign visits and substantial unaccounted wealth, an official said. The official added that the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had earlier identified the 'Royal Tiger Gang', operated by the accused, as a significant Consumer Communication Information Services Threat (C-CIST). The gang is accused of generating and transmitting unlawful robocalls impersonating government agencies, banks, and utility service providers in a systematic manner, aimed at deceiving and defrauding US consumers. The action carried out the CBI is part of Operation Chakra launched in 2022 in coordination with foreign law enforcement agencies such as the Interpol to deal with various aspects of cybercrime. While Chakra I to IV dealt with various aspects of cybercrime like OTP frauds, loan app scams, job market scams and fake investment schemes, the action carried out by the CBI was part of Operation Chakra V launched to target organized cybercrime. As part of Operation Chakra V, the CBI on Thursday arrested nine persons who provided 8.5 lakh mule accounts to cyber frauds to move stolen money across bank accounts for a commission.
Hindustan Times
27-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
CBI nabs 'kingpin' of 'Royal Tiger Gang' fleecing Canadian, US citizens online
New Delhi, In a crackdown against a cybercrime syndicate, the CBI has arrested the alleged kingpin of the "Royal Tiger Gang", a transnational racket accused of fleecing victims in the United States and Canada through cyber posing as government officers, officials said Friday. CBI nabs 'kingpin' of 'Royal Tiger Gang' fleecing Canadian, US citizens online The agency arrested Prince Jasvantlal Anand from Mumbai on Thursday after a coordinated search operation that began the previous day across the bustling metropolis and Ahmedabad, officials said. Anand, alleged to be the gang's prima donna, had been living an opulent lifestyle that ultimately betrayed his trail. The searches at his hideout blew the lid off a sophisticated organised system used for committing cyber frauds with a telecom infrastructure, pre-drafted scam scripts, and forged identification paraphernalia including forged ID badges of Canadian law enforcement officers. The searches at Anand's premises laid bare the indulgences of a high-flying conman with luxury cars, designer accessories, frequent international travel records, and significant unaccounted wealth. "Further, Virtual Digital Assets worth approximately USD 45,000 were seized from the possession of the accused ," a CBI spokesperson stated. The operation was part of 'Operation Chakra V', the CBI's ongoing action against cybercriminal networks. The CBI has alleged that the United States Federal Communications Commission had earlier identified the "Royal Tiger Gang", operated by the accused as a significant Consumer Communication Information Services Threat . "The gang is accused of generating and transmitting unlawful robocalls impersonating government agencies, banks, and utility service providers in a systematic manner, aimed at deceiving and defrauding US consumers," the spokesperson said. Investigators allege that Anand and his associates preyed on fear and confusion by impersonating officials from government institutions and financial bodies, then extorting money from their victims under the pretext of fabricated criminal allegations. The ill-gotten proceeds were largely funnelled through cryptocurrencies to mask the financial trail. Anand was presented before a Special Court which sent him to four days for CBI custody for further interrogation. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The Hindu
13-06-2025
- The Hindu
Operation Chakra-V: CBI arrests one man in cyber-enabled fraud case, conducts searches across four States
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted searches at 10 locations across four States and arrested a person allegedly involved in a cyber-enabled organised investment fraud case. The searches were carried out in Delhi, Hisar in Haryana, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, and Mumbai, Pune, and Nashik in Maharashtra. The accused named Pratik Tanpure was arrested in Mumbai. Also read: 136 cyber criminals nabbed across Tamil Nadu in operation 'Thiraineekku-II' 'The accused was actively involved in supplying pre-activated SIM cards and mule bank accounts to cybercriminal networks, thereby enabling and sustaining their illegal operations. Substantial incriminating material was recovered from his possession during the searches,' the agency said. The case is related to a well-orchestrated 'fraud' where unsuspecting individuals were cheated through a fraudulent mobile application and WhatsApp groups. 'The perpetrators deceitfully lured innocent investors by promising shares of reputed listed companies at discounted rates. Once the victims invested their hard-earned money, the accused misappropriated the funds, causing significant financial loss to the public,' it said. Also read: Cyber fraud complaints of over ₹10 lakh, lodged via helpline or portal, to automatically convert into FIRs Last month, the agency had arrested 11 alleged cybercriminals. In one case, in which six people were arrested on the charge of cheating Japanese citizens, 19 locations in Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh were searched. The accused were identified as Ashu Singh (Delhi); Kapil Ghakhar (Panipat, Haryana); Rohit Maurya from Ayodhya, and Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj, and Adarsh Kumar from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. 'As part of its ongoing efforts to combat cyber-enabled financial crimes under Operation Chakra-V, the CBI on May 28 conducted coordinated operation 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,' the CBI had said. Also read: Operation Chakra V: CBI gets hold of four 'kingpins' in 'digital arrest' fraud In the second case, during the searches conducted at 42 locations across eight States — Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu — as part of the ongoing Operation Chakra-V, the CBI had arrested five persons for allegedly selling SIM cards without authorisation. The SIM cards were being used for illegal activities such as 'digital arrest' scam, impersonation, fraudulent advertisements, and investment/UPI frauds.
Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
CBI's Op Chakra V against cybercrime: 6 held for duping Japanese citizens after searches in Haryana, Delhi and UP
The CBI arrested six alleged members of a transnational cybercrime syndicate that targeted Japanese citizens. These people, including three from Varanasi and one from Ayodhya, were arrested following searches at 19 locations in Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The action was part of efforts to combat cybercrimes under Operation Chakra V, officials said on Thursday. The arrested accused were identified as three Varanasi residents - Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj and Adarsh Kumar and one Ayodhya resident - Rohit Maurya. Two others were identified as Ashu Singh and Kapil Ghakhar from Delhi and Panipat, respectively, CBI officials stated in a release. The federal agency conducted coordinated searches on May 28 to dismantle two illegal call centres engaged in a sophisticated transnational tech support scam targeting Japanese citizens. The CBI seized substantial digital and physical evidence indicative of the large-scale operations of the syndicate. Preliminary investigation confirmed that the scam leveraged advanced social engineering techniques and technical subterfuge to manipulate victims and extract money under false pretenses. The agency spokesperson stated that the CBI had registered a regular case based on credible intelligence indicating the existence of a cybercrime syndicate defrauding foreign nationals —particularly Japanese citizens — by impersonating as 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. On this pretext, victims were coerced into transferring funds into mule accounts. '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,' the spokesperson explained. The CBI reiterated its unwavering commitment to tackling the dynamic and evolving threats posed by cybercrime. The agency 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, he added.
Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
CBI busts two illegal call centres cheating Japan citizens; 6 held
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has busted a transnational technical support scam targeting Japanese nationals, arresting six individuals and unearthing two fake call centres after raids at 19 locations across Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, the agency said on Thursday. The accused allegedly posed as Microsoft and Apple support representatives and defrauded Japanese victims of over ₹1.2 crore (approximately 20.3 million Japanese Yen). CBI's crackdown was part of Operation Chakra V, a nationwide campaign against cybercrime. The federal agency said it worked in close coordination with Japan's National Police Agency and Microsoft, which helped trace the scammers and their operational setup. 'This international cooperation was critical to identifying the perpetrators and dismantling the syndicate,' the CBI said in a statement. On Wednesday, six people were arrested: Ashu Singh from Delhi, Kapil Ghakhar from Panipat, Rohit Maurya from Ayodhya, and Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj, and Adarsh Kumar from Varanasi. Two fake call centres, which mimicked legitimate customer support hubs, were also unearthed. CBI said the syndicate tricked victims into believing their electronic devices were compromised. 'They coerced victims into transferring funds into mule accounts under the pretext of fixing supposed issues,' the agency said. The investigation focused on four incidents between April and July 2024, where Japanese citizens were targeted using a similar modus operandi. Victims received pop-up alerts on their computers claiming a virus infection and were directed to call a number. The calls connected them to scammers in India pretending to be Microsoft or Apple support staff. Once connected, the fraudsters used remote access tools, extracted sensitive information, and siphoned off funds, often pushing victims to buy gift cards or transfer money directly. In one case, a resident of Hyogo Prefecture lost over JPY 20 million after scammers accessed his bank details and converted the stolen money into cryptocurrency. Three other victims were duped into purchasing fake gift cards worth JPY 330,000. CBI said the fraudsters' Japanese was noticeably unnatural, with Hindi chatter audible in the background, and calls traced to Indian phone codes. An FIR in the case cited two Delhi-based individuals—Manmeet Singh Basra of RK Puram and Jiten Harchand of Chhatarpur Enclave—as key operators who handled lead generation, payment routing, and backend infrastructure. Harchand allegedly managed fund transfers and operated multiple Skype IDs used in the fraud. Between July and December 2024, 94 malicious URLs linked to Indian IPs generated Japanese-language pop-ups to lure victims. Preliminary findings suggest the scam used advanced social engineering and tech subterfuge to exploit its targets.
