Hyderabad Police arrested two men in a 'digital arrest' cyber fraud, duping a retired man and his daughter of Rs 29.17 lakh. The culprits laundered the illicit proceeds through mule bank accounts and converted them into Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency.
The Hyderabad City Cyber Crime Police have arrested two men involved in a high-profile "digital arrest" cyber fraud operation that defrauded a 63-year-old retired employee and his daughter of Rs 29,17,668. The syndicate laundered the illicit proceeds through mule bank accounts, Cash Deposit Machines (CDMs), and cryptocurrency conversions using Tether (USDT).
The arrested suspects have been identified as Mohd Ashfaq Hussain (27) and Ahmed Najeeb Uddin (27), both businessmen residing in Ameerpet, Hyderabad. A third associate, identified as Sachin, a resident of Bengaluru, remains absconding.
The 'Digital Arrest' Modus Operandi
The case stems from a complaint filed by the 63-year-old victim, who was first targeted on March 3. Unidentified fraudsters contacted the victim, falsely impersonating senior officials from the Delhi Police, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The perpetrators falsely informed the complainant that he was implicated in a Rs 68 million money laundering investigation and threatened him with immediate arrest. To establish credibility, the cybercriminals sent forged official documents and alleged that his credentials and biometric fingerprints had been illegally misused in criminal activity.
Citing strict "national security" protocols, the fraudsters coerced the victim and his daughter into keeping the investigation confidential. Under the pretence of a mandatory "financial verification process," they instructed the victims to transfer their savings to designated accounts, promising that the funds would be fully refunded once verified.
Intimidated by the threats, the victims transferred Rs 29,17,668 before realising they had been scammed when the perpetrators severed communication.
Arrests and Unraveling the Laundering Network
Following technical intelligence operations, a police team led by Inspector K Narayana Reddy located and apprehended Hussain and Uddin in Ameerpet. Interrogation revealed the mechanics of the laundering network.
Facing severe financial distress, Hussain and Uddin connected with Bengaluru-based Sachin via WhatsApp. Uddin provided his bank account credentials to Hussain, who passed them to Sachin to receive the victim's stolen funds.
After receiving the fraudulently obtained money, the duo withdrew the cash using cheques. Following Sachin’s directions, they redistributed the physical cash across multiple bank accounts using Cash Deposit Machines (CDMs) to disrupt the audit trail.
Sachin utilised the deposited cash to purchase Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency, which was subsequently sold online for Indian rupees. Hussain and Uddin received fixed commissions for managing the local logistics and banking operations.
Seizures, Charges, and Further Investigation
Police seized two Apple iPhones from the suspects. Preliminary findings link this specific network to at least 16 registered cyber fraud cases across India.
The arrested individuals have been booked under-- Information Technology Act: Sections 66(C) and 66(D), Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS): Sections 111(2)(b), 318(4), 319(2), 336(3), 338, and 340(2)
The duo was produced before a local court in Hyderabad.
Authorities are actively working to locate the absconding suspect, Sachin, and identify remaining members of the inter-state syndicate.
The investigation was conducted under the direction of Deputy Commissioner of Police (CCS, DD) S Chaitanya Kumar, supervised by Assistant Commissioner of Police RG Siva Maruthi, with field operations carried out by Sub-Inspectors Monmohan Goud and G Sivakumar. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)