In a coordinated effort with the Tamil Nadu Crime Branch, Chennai Police arrested three individuals from Belagavi on Thursday for running a cyber fraud racket involving fake bank accounts and sham companies.
The accused — Anil Kolhapur from Kuvempu Nagar, Rohan Kamble from Ganeshpur, and Sarvesha Kivi from the RTO Circle — were apprehended in Belagavi and subsequently presented before the 3rd JMFC Court. After completing legal procedures, they were transported to Chennai for further investigation.
City Police Commissioner Bhushan Gulabrao Borase shared that the operation followed a formal request from the ADGP of the Tamil Nadu Crime Branch. The CEN Police unit coordinated the arrests and provided full cooperation throughout. The trio is alleged to have created two fake companies and opened bank accounts under their control to facilitate fraudulent transactions. They are connected to 27 cases, including three in Bengaluru and Tumkur, with the remainder spread across Tamil Nadu.
Commissioner Borase warned citizens about the growing threat of cybercrimes related to fake investment schemes. He explained that fraudsters often obtain mobile numbers and add victims to WhatsApp groups that promise high returns. They build trust by sending small initial payouts to lure victims into investing larger amounts through dubious applications. Many people end up losing substantial sums of money.
Borase highlighted a particularly alarming scam known as the “Digital Arrest” trap. Victims receive calls from imposters claiming to be officials from agencies like ATS, CBI, or ED, falsely alleging that suspicious parcels—often purported to contain drugs—have been sent under their name. Victims are threatened with jail time, forced to stay on video calls, and asked to deposit ‘security money’ to prove their innocence. Some have reportedly transferred amounts as high as Rs30-40 lakh out of fear.
The Commissioner emphasized the gravity of cybercrime in India, revealing that losses reached Rs22,000 crore last year alone. “This is not just fraud; it’s digital terrorism,” he stated.
