Caught at the Exit: The Fall of a Cyber Kingpin

The CBI apprehended Arjun Prakash, the mastermind behind an international cyber-fraud syndicate, at the Delhi airport while attempting to escape to Nepal. This arrest follows the dismantling of his Noida-based tech-support scam company, 'FirstIdea', which primarily targeted individuals in Australia, the UK, and the EU.

In a significant breakthrough, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested Arjun Prakash, the alleged mastermind of an international cyber-fraud ring, at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. Prakash was reportedly trying to board a flight to Nepal when he was intercepted by alert immigration officers.

Under the guise of managing a company named 'FirstIdea', Prakash orchestrated fraudulent tech-support operations from Noida, which duped unsuspecting individuals across Australia, the UK, and the EU. The syndicate came under scrutiny through CBI's 'Operation Chakra' and involved coordinated efforts with global partners such as the FBI, the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), and Microsoft Corporation.

In May, multiple call center locations were raided, leading to the seizure of digital evidence and the disbandment of the fraudulent enterprise. Prakash had been in hiding since the CBI filed charges against him. His capture marks a crucial moment in the investigative agency's ongoing battle against transnational cyber frauds.

(With inputs from agencies.)