Mangaluru Cybercrime, Economic Offences and Narcotics (CEN) Police have arrested two individuals involved in separate online fraud cases where the victims were defrauded of Rs10 lakh and Rs40 lakh, respectively. The arrests were made after thorough investigations into the fraudulent activities that targeted unsuspecting victims.
In the first case, Kanathala Vasudeva Reddy, 25, from Ganjam district, Odisha, was arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, on Wednesday. He was detained by immigration personnel after a lookout circular was issued against him. His arrest followed information provided by Nadavulu Veera Venkata Sathyanarayana Raju, who had been arrested earlier for his involvement in the Rs10,84,017 online fraud. Reddy allegedly sold over 500 SIM cards from India to cybercriminals in Dubai, facilitating their fraudulent operations.
City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal stated that Reddy’s involvement was crucial in enabling the international network of cybercriminals, and his arrest marks a significant breakthrough in the investigation. The sale of SIM cards to fraudsters has been a key component in enabling a range of criminal activities, from scamming individuals to money laundering.
In the second case, the police arrested another accused involved in a different online fraud that led to a loss of Rs40 lakh. While the details of this case are still under investigation, authorities suspect that similar tactics were used to dupe the victim, and further arrests could follow.
The Mangaluru CEN police have urged the public to remain vigilant against online fraud and report any suspicious activities immediately. These arrests highlight the growing concern over cybercrimes, especially those involving the misuse of SIM cards for criminal purposes.