In a significant breakthrough, Bengaluru Police have arrested Eshwar Singh and Ramnarayan Chowdhary, both residents of Hyderabad, for their alleged involvement in a Rs4.75 crore cyber fraud that targeted a retired engineer and his wife in BTM Layout, Bengaluru.
The accused reportedly manipulated the elderly couple into believing they were under “digital arrest” and involved in a fake money laundering investigation, convincing them to transfer money under the pretext of complying with law enforcement.
The arrests were made following a tip-off from Chennai’s cybercrime investigators, who discovered a Bengaluru-based victim during a parallel probe. Bengaluru’s Southeast Division, led by DCP Sarah Fathima, initiated the investigation that uncovered a wider cross-border syndicate with links to Sri Lanka and Cambodia.
The elderly couple, fearing legal consequences, pledged property documents and transferred large sums over several months, unaware they were being duped. They kept the ordeal hidden even from their children living in Malleswaram and Hebbal.
A money trail of Rs10 lakh led police to a Hyderabad bank account linked to Eshwar Singh, a known frequent visitor to Sri Lankan casinos. Singh had traveled there 33 times, and casino payouts were routed through his tenant’s bank account — a loophole that scammers allegedly exploited.
Singh was arrested at Hyderabad Airport, while Chowdhary, a departmental store owner, was found to have allowed scammers to use his bank accounts. Chowdhary reportedly became entangled after building trust with the fraudsters who frequented his store.
Police are now investigating international money laundering channels and cybercriminal networks operating from abroad.
