Telangana Cyber Security Bureau Arrests 81 People In Multi-State Special Operation

The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) on Sunday said it has arrested 81 people, including 7 women, in connection with cases of cyber offences, in a simultaneous multi-state special operation in October, an official said on Sunday.

The arrests made as part of the operation are connected to 41 cases registered under the seven TGCSB Cyber Crime Police Stations (CCPS). So far, investigators have traced 754 crime links across India, including 128 linked to Telangana, involving acts of fraud worth Rs 95 crore, TGCSB Director Shikha Goel said in a release.

Among those arrested in the 25-day-long coordinated special operation across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, 17 were identified as agents, 11 were involved in cheque and cash withdrawals amounting to Rs 34,70,900, and 53 were mule account holders who received commissions of up to 5 per cent on the fraudulent amounts transacted through their accounts, she said.

The operation also led to the seizure of 84 mobile phones, 101 SIM cards, and 89 bank passbooks and cheque books used in various fraudulent transactions, Goel said.

Preliminary investigation indicates that some of the accused have links with individuals operating from outside India, and Look-Out Circulars (LOCs) are being opened against the identified foreign-linked suspects, she said.

Out of the 81 arrested persons, 12 individuals were found to have more than 30 crime links across India, while 54 others were involved in more than five different cybercrime cases.

Investigation Officers have identified and frozen multiple bank accounts linked to the accused, and the refund process for victims has already been initiated in coordination with financial institutions concerned, the TGCSB Director said.

The investigation revealed that the arrested individuals came from varied professional backgrounds, underscoring the widespread reach of cyber-enabled crime.

Among them were three employees of different private banks — a sales executive linked to 106 cases, an employee, and a branch manager — directly involved in facilitating 'illegal' financial activities.

Other key arrests include a Diploma holder in Computer Operations (96 cases), an Accountant from an Audit Office, Chennai (31 cases), a BBA graduate (45 cases), and an MNC employee who misused his corporate account for fraud.

The accused span diverse occupations such as private employees, healthcare professionals, IT staff, brokers, students, and daily wage workers, reflecting the alarming spread of digital financial misuse across all sectors, Goel said.

A critical aspect of the operation is TGCSB’s continued focus on breaking the supply chain that enables cybercriminals to operate with impunity, the release said.

'Facilitators who provide bank accounts, mobile numbers, SIM cards, and financial channels act as essential infrastructure for fraud call-centre networks, often operating from abroad. By identifying and arresting these enablers, TGCSB aims to dismantle the ecosystem that supports large-scale financial fraud and ensure that such networks are deprived of the tools they depend on,' it said.

TGCSB continues its investigation to uncover additional crime links, interstate connections, and international networks involved in these large-scale cyber fraud operations, the release further said.

The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau appealed to citizens to stay alert against emerging cyber-fraud methods, particularly fake online trading and digital arrest scams.