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According to sources, Chirag Kapoor has been linked to 930 cases of digital arrest fraud
Digital arrest scams involve fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officials over video calls, threatening victims with arrest on false charges, and forcing them to hand over large sums of money. (Representative image)
Kolkata police said they have arrested Chirag Kapoor, one of the masterminds of the nationwide digital arrest scam, from Bengaluru. According to sources, Kapoor has been linked to 930 cases of digital arrest fraud.
Digital arrest scams involve fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officials over video calls, threatening victims with arrest on false charges, and forcing them to hand over large sums of money.
The complainant, Debashree Dutta (also known as Debashi Dutta), was defrauded of Rs 47 lakh after being threatened with legal action. He was told that his documents and letters were used to send a package containing illegal drugs, and the case was about money laundering. Scared, he made payments to different accounts as instructed by the hackers.
Following the trail of Rs 7,40,000 deposited by the complainant in the Jana Small Finance Bank account (A/C holder: Uma Burney, owner of Brain Burst Robotics) on 12.06.24, the full raid was carried out on 28.09.24 in Anandapur, Patuli, and Narendrapur areas. In total, eight people were arrested, and a temporary office dealing with fake accounts was broken into. 104 passbooks/chequebooks, 61 mobile phones, 33 debit cards, two QR code machines, 140 SIM cards, 40 stamps, and 10 leases were confiscated. It was later found that the office was monitored by CCTV and was used to collect accounts and change their email IDs, passwords, and other credentials. These were later sold across India to fraudsters.
Chirag Kapoor’s name as the main operator of this racket came to light. He ran this racket through his men and agents, keeping a distance to avoid suspicion and scrutiny.
Further investigation led to the arrest of one of his associates in Delhi on 26.10.24, who would take such fake accounts and sell them.
A total of 10 people have been arrested in this case.
The accused principal, Chirag Kapoor, was absconding.
“Kolkata police team arrested (Chirag Kapoor alias Chintak Raj, 36, son of Vena Raj alias Kapoor at no. 303, A Block, Apoorva Dew Drops, LBS 4th Block, JP Nagar, 9th Phase, Anjanapura, Bengaluru – 560062) at approximately 04:30 (09.01.25),” said a source.
Three routers, two hard disks, one laptop, one Beetel landline phone, four mobile sets with SIM cards, five SIM cards, three PAN cards, four checks, one USB, and six rubber stamps with names of different companies/concerns. .
The arrested accused will be produced before the court, and his investigation is called for.