Vizianagaram district police have apprehended four cybercriminals involved in a high-value digital arrest scam that targeted a government teacher in Bobbili. Authorities successfully froze Rs22 lakh in accounts linked to the fraud.
According to Vizianagaram district police chief A R Damodhar, the accused posed as CBI officers and threatened the teacher in September with a fake human trafficking case. They coerced him into transferring Rs22.18 lakh from his bank accounts in multiple phases, claiming it would prevent his arrest.
Following an extensive investigation, the police identified the prime suspect as Vinod Chowdary from Rajasthan. The arrested gang members include Sunil Sutar, Satish, Rajesh, and D. Manohar from Chennai. Authorities froze nearly Rs20 lakh of the stolen funds. Efforts are ongoing to capture Vinod Chowdary.
The accused were booked under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code, and the case underscores the growing threat of phishing and online extortion scams.
