CBI busts major cybercrime module, Rs 2.2 crore cash seized during searches at 24 locations

The CBI has busted a major cybercrime module targeting citizens of foreign nations, including that of the USA, through fake call centres during its searches at 24 locations in which Rs 2.2 crore were seized, officials said on Wednesday.

The searches at 24 locations spread across Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, and Gujarat resulted in the seizure of a trove of digital evidence, Rs 2.2 crore in cash, documents related to properties and cryptocurrency, they said.

The group, allegedly run by one Sushil Sachdeva and associates, was targeting gullible foreigners through fraudulent schemes such as tech support and had made ''millions of calls'' through call centres to cheat them, officials said.

The action of the CBI was part of an ongoing investigation in which a number of cybercriminals have been booked. The CBI had registered the case on July 7, 2022, on the allegations that multiple call centres in India utilised the services of a Gujarat-based VOIP company to orchestrate millions of fraudulent calls targeting citizens of the USA, a CBI spokesperson said on Wednesday.

''It was alleged that perpetrators behind these cyber-enabled crimes impersonated entities such as the US Federal Grant Department, IRS, SSA, CRA, and ATO through VOIP calls. ''It was further alleged that the modus operandi involved sending robo and audio calls impersonating officials from US Federal Departments or agencies, subsequently deceiving victims by coercing payments under the guise of fees, fines, or penalties,'' he said.

The initial phase of investigations under the CBI's Operation Chakra in October 2022 led to searches conducted earlier at 11 such call centres and entities, the spokesperson said.

He said the US probe agency FBI informed the CBI that the accused in this case had already faced indictments in the USA for similar fraudulent activities against its citizens.

Earlier, a charge sheet was filed by CBI against another accused, he said. The agency's action on Wednesday was the result of further investigation done by the CBI to unravel a deeper conspiracy.

''Further investigations unveiled the involvement of a private person, a private company and their associates in perpetrating large-scale fraud against foreign nationals facilitated by services of Gujarat-based private company,'' he said.

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