In a major crackdown on cybercrime, the Bhubaneswar–Cuttack Commissionerate Police arrested three individuals involved in sophisticated digital fraud schemes, including a so-called “digital arrest” scam.
Two accused, Vishal Ramesh and Milan Chauhan, were arrested in Gujarat, while Sarbeshwar Patra, a local businessman, was taken into custody in Bhubaneswar. The arrests followed a complaint filed at the Cyber Police Station that exposed a Gujarat-based gang operating online frauds targeting Odisha residents.
Police said the gang used Skype to carry out a “digital arrest” scam, falsely claiming that a parcel containing cannabis had been sent in the victim’s name. Under threat of arrest, the victim was coerced into taking a loan due to insufficient funds and transferring Rs 6.94 lakh to the fraudsters. Following the complaint, police recovered Rs 2 lakh for the victim.
Investigators identified Vishal Ramesh, a 27-year-old school dropout, as a key mastermind behind multiple cyber fraud operations. His associate, Milan Chauhan, also a dropout, allegedly operated a fake company profile on the Just Dial platform and cheated a Bhubaneswar-based businessman of Rs 14 lakh. Milan was part of a gang whose three members had been arrested earlier.
In a parallel operation, police raided Shubham Communication, a mobile shop in Kalinga Vihar, Bhubaneswar, and arrested its owner, Sarbeshwar Patra, for selling pre-activated SIM cards used in cybercrimes. Several such SIM cards were seized, highlighting the role of local facilitators in enabling online fraud.
Confirming the arrests, Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena said the police are committed to curbing cyber fraud and dismantling networks that misuse digital platforms. Investigations revealed that the gang employed advanced tactics, including Skype calls, fake websites, and pre-activated SIM cards, to trap victims.
Police said further investigation is underway to identify additional accomplices and prevent similar cyber scams in the future.
