Dehradun, April 2, 2025: In a significant breakthrough against cyber fraud, the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttarakhand has successfully carried out ‘Operation Prahar,’ targeting digital arrest scams and fraudulent financial activities. The cybercrime police team conducted swift operations across three states in South India—Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu—and the Union Territory of Puducherry, leading to legal action against six accused individuals.
Details of the Cases
Case 1: Digital Arrest Scam in Haridwar: A retired female bank officer from Roorkee, Haridwar, fell victim to cybercriminals who falsely accused her husband’s bank account of being involved in money laundering. The criminals kept her engaged on video/audio calls for over 24 hours and fraudulently extracted ₹32.31 lakh from her account.
Case 2: Fake CBI Officer Scam: Another victim received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number, where the caller posed as a CBI officer. The fraudster alleged that the victim’s Aadhaar card had been used to open a bank account at Canara Bank, Mumbai, involved in a ₹2 crore money laundering case linked to an individual named Naresh Goyal. The victim was coerced into transferring ₹23 lakh under the pretense of verification, with the fraudster sending fake CBI arrest warrants, RBI, Income Tax, and Enforcement Directorate notices via WhatsApp.
Case 3: Fake Business Owner Scam in Dehradun: Fraudsters impersonated the owner of a reputed car showroom in Dehradun using his photograph on a new WhatsApp number. They messaged the company’s accountant, claiming their old number was inactive and that they needed immediate investment for a project. Believing the deception, the accountant transferred ₹38 lakh via RTGS to a given account. The fraudsters later demanded ₹15 lakh and an additional ₹35 lakh. Upon suspicion, the accountant contacted the actual showroom owner and discovered the scam, leading to a cybercrime complaint.
Investigation:
Recognizing the gravity of the cases, Senior Superintendent of Police, STF, Navneet Singh, directed a swift investigation with close supervision of Additional Superintendent of Police, STF, Swapn Kishore Singh.
The cybercrime team, led by Deputy SP Cyber Ankush Mishra and Investigation officer Devendra Nabiyal, meticulously analyzed bank transactions, mobile numbers, and technical data in collaboration with banks, service providers, Meta, and Google. Despite the criminals frequently changing locations, STF’s technical expertise led to their capture. The effort led to 06 criminals based in Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Puducherry with legal notices being given to all.
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Authorities seized mobile phones, bank passbooks, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and SMS alert devices used for fraud. Investigations revealed that the accused were involved in scams amounting to ₹2 crore in Telangana, ₹2.70 crore in Tamil Nadu, and ₹3.40 crore in Maharashtra.
Crime Modus Operandi: Digital House Arrest Scam
According to SSP STF, Mr. Navneet Singh, cybercriminals execute “Digital House Arrest” by trapping victims in prolonged video/audio calls, posing as law enforcement officials. They fabricate allegations such as illegal bank transactions, money laundering, narcotics cases, or fake passports, coercing victims into transferring money for so-called verification.
Fraudsters also intimidate victims by falsely implicating their relatives in crimes or accidents. Some even set up fake police stations or wear counterfeit uniforms to enhance their deception.
Police Team Involved in the Operation
Inspector Devendra Nabiyal, Head Constable Pawan Kumar, Constable Sohan Badoni, and Constable Abhishek Bhatt (Technical Support).
Senior Superintendent of Police, STF, Mr. Navneet Singh, has urged the public to stay vigilant against digital arrest scams. No legitimate agency, including CBI, Mumbai Crime Branch, Cyber Crime, IT, or ED officials, issues notices via WhatsApp. If anyone is threatened with arrest or coerced into transferring money, they should immediately report to STF or the Cyber Crime Police Station in Uttarakhand.
For complaints related to online fraud, citizens can report to the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in. The government has also launched the Chakshu Portal on the Sanchar Saathi website to curb online financial frauds.
STF Uttarakhand remains committed to combating cybercrime and ensuring justice for victims.