CBI nabs Haryana-based accused in ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

New Delhi/Rajkot, July 1 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has achieved a significant breakthrough in its crackdown on sophisticated cyber frauds by arresting a key accused from Rajkot, Gujarat, on June 30, 2026. The arrested individual, based in Karnal, Haryana, is linked to a chilling “digital arrest” scam that targeted a senior citizen in Madhya Pradesh, resulting in a loss of Rs 25.65 lakh.

The case was originally registered by the State Cyber Crime Police in Bhopal and later transferred to the CBI following directions from the Supreme Court in a writ petition.

The CBI re-registered the case on April 11, 2026, against unknown persons. Investigators have been pursuing a network of fraudsters who impersonate law enforcement and security officials to extort money from vulnerable citizens.

According to the complaint, the elderly victim received threatening calls from individuals posing as officers from security and counter-terrorism agencies. The scammers falsely alleged that her bank account was linked to terrorism-related activities and warned of imminent arrest along with seizure of her properties.

To build credibility, they even sent a forged attachment order. Panicked, the victim was coerced into transferring Rs 25.65 lakh to two separate bank accounts controlled by the fraudsters. During the probe, the CBI facilitated the refund of Rs 2.65 lakh to the victim after securing necessary orders from the competent court, providing some relief to the distressed senior citizen.

The agency continues to investigate the broader conspiracy, tracing the flow of funds and identifying other members of the syndicate.

“Digital Arrest” scams have emerged as one of the most pernicious forms of cyber fraud in recent years. Fraudsters exploit fear by claiming victims are under virtual arrest for serious offences like money laundering or terror financing, pressuring them to comply with demands for “proof of innocence” through monetary transfers.

The CBI has issued a strong advisory to the public, urging citizens to remain vigilant against such threats. People should never share personal or financial details — including bank account information, passwords, OTPs, or any credentials — with unknown callers.

The agency emphasised that no legitimate law enforcement officer asks for such information over the phone or demands immediate money transfers.

–IANS

sktr/uk

Related Posts

Delhi’s new anti-pollution moves: Will they be enough?

New Delhi: Every winter, Delhi makes headlines for all the wrong reasons. Thick smog covers the city, pollution levels skyrocket, and air quality drops to hazardous levels. It’s a crisis that returns year after year, and while the government takes action during these peak months, the bigger question remains: are we doing enough, and more importantly, are we doing it all year round?

Experts and environmentalists have long pointed out that Delhi’s approach to air pollution tends to be reactive. Most of the effort kicks in only when the situation turns severe — usually between October and November — rather than being part of a continuous, year-round plan.

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which is supposed to manage pollution based on severity levels, is often seen as a short-term band-aid. It doesn’t tackle the root causes or prepare the city for sudden spikes in pollution.

One of the major contributors to Delhi’s poor air is vehicular emissions. Despite moves like shifting public transport to CNG and enforcing BS6 norms, the impact has been limited. The city still has a massive number of vehicles on its roads — around 8 per cent of the country’s total in a very small area.

Add to that the traffic congestion, and it’s no surprise that pollution levels remain high. And while electric vehicles (EVs) are being promoted as the next big solution, experts caution that they’re not a silver bullet — especially if the electricity that powers them comes from coal.

In response to growing pressure and criticism, the Delhi government recently announced a new set of policies. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta revealed that vehicles from other states will now be required to carry a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate when entering Delhi.

The idea is to tighten emissions checks and prevent highly polluting vehicles from adding to the city’s burden. This comes after a CAG report highlighted serious lapses in Delhi’s existing pollution control systems, pointing out weak enforcement and poor coordination between agencies.

Alongside this, the government is planning a major expansion of EV infrastructure. By 2026, Delhi aims to have 48,000 EV charging points across the city — 18,000 publicly managed and 30,000 semi-private.

While this is a step in the right direction, experts stress that without strengthening public transport, these measures won’t go far. If people don’t have clean, affordable alternatives to driving, EVs alone won’t reduce the number of vehicles on the road or the traffic that slows the city to a crawl.

The government is also planning to set up six new air quality monitoring stations and an eco-park for processing electronic waste — another often overlooked source of pollution. These may seem like smaller steps, but they’re important pieces of a bigger puzzle. However, even the best city-level efforts can only go so far.

Delhi’s air doesn’t exist in isolation. Pollution flows in from surrounding states, carried by wind and weather. Experts say what’s needed now is a joint approach — an “air shed” model, where Delhi and its neighboring states work together, much like they would in managing a shared water system.

Only by addressing the issue regionally can real, lasting progress be made. Therefore, Delhi’s latest announcements show that there is political will to act. But unless these plans are part of a bigger, long-term, and better-coordinated effort, it’s likely that come next winter, the smog will return — and with it, the same old questions.

(Vanshika Singh is a research assistant at the Indian Council of Social Science Research).

Manish Sisodia files nomination, taunts BJP over ‘no CM face’ in Delhi elections

New Delhi, Jan 16 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from Jangpura and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, filed his nomination on Thursday for the upcoming Assembly elections.

After filing the nomination, he said, “Today I have filed my nomination from Jangpura with the hope that public will give the same support that it has been giving to Arvind Kejriwal’s team for the last 10 years.”

“If I am elected as the MLA of Jangpura, I will support the people of Jangpura in their happiness and sorrow and will help in building their future by augmenting the education and health sector. With this feeling, I have filed my nomination,” he added.

“During Kejriwal’s government, there have been changes in the lives of Delhiites. Kejriwal has a vision for the city and its residents,” he said, citing the AAP’s promises of welfare schemes like Mahila Samman Yojana, Sanjeevani Yojana and Pujari-Granthi Samman Yojana.

Taking aim at the BJP, he said that the BJP is “a factory of lies” and said that the party should first decide the Chief Minister’s face.

Earlier on Wednesday, Sisodia, accompanied by AAP workers, held a roadshow, which witnessed a large crowd of supporters waving party flags and holding posters of the former Deputy CM.

He also offered prayers at the ancient Angoori Temple in Kilokari, seeking divine blessings before proceeding to file his nomination papers.

The AAP has fielded Sisodia from the Jangpura Assembly constituency instead of his traditional stronghold, Patparganj. Sisodia will face BJP candidate Tarvinder Singh Marwah and Congress’s Farhad Suri in the election.

The elections for Delhi’s 70 Assembly seats will take place on February 5, with the counting of votes scheduled for February 8. AAP, which secured 67 seats in 2015 and retained dominance with 62 seats in 2020, is seeking a third consecutive term.

The BJP, which increased its tally from three seats in 2015 to eight in 2020, aims to expand its influence, while the Congress strives to make a comeback after failing to win any seats in the last two elections.

–IANS

sd/mr

PM Modi meets WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on G20 sidelines

New Delhi/Johannesburg, Nov 22 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday interacted with World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg. The Prime Minister shared a brief note about the meeting in a post on X.

“Interacted with Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg,” the Prime Minister wrote.

While details of the discussion were not immediately made public, the meeting took place at a time when several trade-related issues feature prominently in both the G20 agenda and ongoing WTO consultations. India has been engaging with the WTO on matters relating to agricultural support, food security, fisheries subsidies, e-commerce rules, and reform of the multilateral trading system.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala has been participating in G20 deliberations as part of the invited international organisations contributing to sessions on global economic stability, supply chain resilience, trade facilitation, and the needs of developing economies. India has consistently maintained that multilateral trade rules must remain balanced and responsive to the concerns of the Global South.

The Prime Minister and the WTO Director-General have met at multiple international platforms in recent years, especially during India’s G20 Presidency and at ministerial-level negotiations convened by the WTO. India has previously underlined the need to safeguard the policy space of developing countries in areas such as public stockholding for food security and domestic support for small farmers.

The interaction in Johannesburg took place on a day marked by wide-ranging bilateral and multilateral engagements for the Prime Minister during the G20 proceedings. The Summit has included discussions on global economic recovery, digital transformation, reform of global institutions, sustainability goals, and cooperation on international supply chains.

The WTO chief has repeatedly emphasised the importance of strengthening the rules-based global trading framework while ensuring that developing countries benefit from global commerce. India has been engaged in ongoing WTO negotiations on issues including fisheries, agriculture reform and the future of the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions.

The brief interaction between PM Modi and Dr Okonjo-Iweala adds to the series of conversations India has been holding with global economic institutions at the Summit.

–IANS

pgh/uk