Varanasi Police have arrested two key members of an international cyber fraud syndicate accused of duping citizens by impersonating CBI and Interpol officials. The crackdown, which exposed large-scale financial deception, led to the recovery of forged documents, passbooks, cheque books, ATM cards, and counterfeit IDs, underscoring the scale of organized cybercrime operating across India.
Elaborate Scam Using Fake Digital Warrants
According to the police press note, the fraudsters worked with foreign cybercriminals to pose as CBI and Interpol officials. They created forged digital arrest warrants and legal notices to intimidate victims into transferring large sums of money. Victims were led to believe that they faced imminent arrest unless they paid “settlement amounts” via online transactions, cryptocurrency, or shadow banking channels.
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In one case, complainant Subhash Chandra of Varanasi was duped of over ₹49.4 lakh by the gang. The fraudsters claimed to be senior law enforcement officers, showing fake documents and leveraging fear to coerce payments. This pattern of cyber extortion has been increasingly reported across India, but the Varanasi bust is one of the first to dismantle such a network at its roots.
Arrests and Seizures
The arrested individuals Abhilash Srivastava of Sultanpur and Sammer Rana Singh of Bijnor were tracked down following intensive surveillance and cyber forensics. Police teams carried out raids across multiple locations before nabbing the accused in Ballia district.
During the operation, police seized a large cache of incriminating material, including:
- 21 bank passbooks
- 15 ATM cards
- 19 cheque books
- 12 SIM cards
- 1 mobile handset used in fraud
- ₹1.10 lakh in cash
- forged notary forms, PAN cards, Aadhaar copies
- detailed account ledgers used to track victims’ payments
Investigators said the seized documents reveal a well-structured financial network involving mule accounts and fake identities, likely linked to international operators.
Police Strategy and Public Warning
The arrests were made under the supervision of Mohit Aggarwal, Commissioner , Varanasi and Saravanan T- Additional DCP, Kashi Zone in LIU, leading the raid team. Authorities emphasized that the operation reflects Varanasi Police’s commitment to cracking down on cyber fraud.
Police have urged citizens to remain vigilant against unsolicited calls or messages claiming to be from law enforcement agencies. “No genuine officer will ever ask for money over the phone,” the advisory noted, encouraging victims to immediately report such incidents to cybercrime helplines.
The case highlights the growing threat of impersonation scams, where criminals exploit trust in government institutions to extort money. Varanasi Police have confirmed that further investigations are underway to identify foreign collaborators and dismantle the wider network.