State vs. Multiple Accused — Digital arrest scam network (Multi-state)

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 registered an FIR and filed a chargesheet following a complaint from the Supreme Court Registry. The case involves a cyber fraud network operating across 16 states, including Rajasthan. Fraudsters used fake domains to convince victims they were under investigation and extorted money under the guise of 'digital arrest'. Thirty-three accused have been chargesheeted including proprietors of dummy firms, technical handlers, and mules who routed funds.

In an international crackdown named 'Operation Hard Ball', law enforcement agencies in the United States, Canada and Europe arrested 24 persons connected to India-based transnational organised crime syndicates. The operation, led by the FBI, targeted criminal networks allegedly involved in murder, extortion, drug trafficking, firearms offences and organised crime activities spanning multiple countries. An SHO (Station House Officer) from Punjab is among those the FBI seeks to extradite as part of the investigation.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches across three districts in Bihar (Gopalganj, Saran, and East Champaran) to investigate a human trafficking case involving a youth allegedly trafficked to Cambodia and forced into cyber fraud activities.

Punjab police inspector Gurinderjit Singh Nagra was arrested after being indicted by the US FBI in connection with an extortion conspiracy involving an India-based organised crime syndicate. The investigation revealed that Nagra extorted and accepted Rs 16 lakh as illegal gratification from a US-based family.

A Punjab Station House Officer (SHO), Gurinderjit Singh, faces extradition to the US following FBI charges linking him to a $400,000 gang-related extortion plot. The case is part of Operation Hard Ball, the international law enforcement crackdown on India-based transnational organised crime groups.