Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh — Police in Kadapa have dismantled a highly organised inter-State cyber fraud syndicate operating under the guise of so-called “digital arrest,” arresting nine people in Badvel and freezing a financial network valued at more than ₹22 crore, officials said.
According to investigators, the gang targeted a 70-year-old advocate from Badvel between September and December 2025. Posing as police officers and officials of central investigating agencies, the accused allegedly placed the victim under a fabricated “digital arrest,” using forged non-bailable warrants and threats of arrest and encounter to intimidate him.
Under continuous psychological pressure and constant monitoring through WhatsApp video calls, the victim was coerced into transferring ₹72.68 lakh to bank accounts controlled by the syndicate, police said.
Forensic trail leads to coordinated arrests
A breakthrough came through advanced cyber forensics, banking intelligence, and telecom analysis, which enabled investigators to trace the movement of the extorted funds. This led to coordinated arrests at Hanuman Circle on the Mydukuru–Kadapa Main Road, where all nine accused were apprehended.
Police officials said the operation was run through a centralised structure, with clearly defined roles including handlers, recruiters, mule account suppliers, and financial facilitators operating across multiple States.
₹22-crore mule account ecosystem uncovered
The investigation revealed that the defrauded money was routed through a layered network of mule bank accounts and later converted into cryptocurrency using digital wallets and exchanges to obscure the money trail.
As part of the investigation, police identified and froze a mule account ecosystem worth over ₹22 crore, effectively crippling the syndicate’s financial operations.
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Accused and roles
Of the nine arrested, five are from Kerala and four from Andhra Pradesh. Police identified the key accused as:
- Haddhad Koya, prime coordinator and mule account aggregator
- Sahad Thaikandiyil, core operator and impersonation strategist
- Gibson Gilbert, corporate mule account holder
- Prajit C.P. and Shajil Kanayi, responsible for documentation and banking operations
From Andhra Pradesh, those arrested include Annapureddy Pothuraju, Bhupathi Prashanth, Mallel Dinesh, and Garla Sudheer, who allegedly arranged mule accounts and facilitated inter-state fund transfers.
Seizures
Police said they recovered ₹5.50 lakh in cash, 14 smartphones and keypad phones, multiple SIM cards, debit and credit cards, ATM cards, cheque books, net-banking credentials, and a car allegedly used in the operation.
Probe into wider links continues
Authorities said the syndicate may have connections beyond Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, with possible links to national and overseas cybercrime networks. Further investigation is underway to identify absconding masterminds, trace the remaining money trail, and recover the proceeds of crime.
Public advisory
Kadapa Police urged citizens not to respond to calls or messages claiming to be from law enforcement agencies demanding money. Victims of such scams are advised to immediately report incidents through the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or the official cybercrime portal.
