State vs. digital arrest scam network across 16 states — cyber fraud involving Rs 50 lakh loss

A CBI FIR registered following a complaint from the Supreme Court Registry targeting an organized digital arrest scam network operating across 16 Indian states including Rajasthan. Fraudsters used fake domains to convince victims they were under investigation and extorted money under the guise of 'digital arrest'.

CBI chargesheeted 33 accused in a cyber fraud case involving a Delhi executive defrauded of Rs 50 lakh. The scheme used fake 'digital arrest' claims to extort money. The accused include proprietors of dummy firms, technical handlers, and money mules who routed funds.

The CBI filed a chargesheet naming 33 accused in a cyber fraud case involving a digital arrest scam. Fraudsters allegedly used a deceptive domain to convince victims they were under investigation and extorted money under the guise of 'digital arrest'. The chargesheet includes proprietors of dummy firms, technical handlers, and financial mules involved in siphoning cheated funds.

Actor Jacqueline Fernandez is accused by the Enforcement Directorate of receiving luxury gifts worth approximately ₹7 crore from alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is accused of posing as a government official to defraud a businesswoman of ₹200 crore. Fernandez withdrew her Supreme Court plea against trial proceedings on June 25, 2026. Charges have been framed against her under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The Supreme Court registered a suo motu case in October 2025 after a senior citizen couple from Haryana reported being defrauded of Rs 1.5 crore in a digital arrest scam. The Court issued 13-point directions to combat such scams nationwide, recognizing this as a widespread issue affecting multiple states and directing RBI, banks, and state authorities to implement urgent SOPs and cybercrime coordination mechanisms.

The FBI charged Punjab police officer Gurinderjit Singh Nagra and gangster Lawrence Bishnoi with running an India-based transnational crime syndicate involved in extortion, targeted killings, shootings, and narcotics trafficking. Prosecutors alleged the officer fabricated a murder case and extorted $400,000 from a victim's family in exchange for dropping charges.