101 held in TGCSB’s six-State sweep, ₹17 crore cyber fraud trail uncovered

The 101 people arrested by Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) included business persons, private employees, homemakers and others. | Photo Credit: Satheesh Vellinezhi

A two-week crackdown stretching across southern India has led the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) to 101 people, from homemakers and drivers to graduates, businessmen and private employees, whose accounts or roles were linked to cyber fraud networks involving transactions of about ₹17 crore.

The operation, which began on September 23, covered Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Puducherry. More than 100 TGCSB personnel were split into six special teams for the coordinated action. Among those arrested were 18 women.

What emerged from the exercise was the breadth of the ecosystem supporting cyber fraud. Of the 101 arrested, 19 were identified as agents and 81 as mule account holders. Investigators found that bank accounts were being procured through agents and intermediaries and then used to receive, move and withdraw proceeds of fraud through ATM withdrawals, bulk transfers and overseas-linked transactions.

TGCSB Director Shikha Goel said that account holders and intermediaries were paid commissions of up to 5% of the money routed through them.