New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday conducted searches at five locations across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in connection with a “digital arrest” fraud case, arresting three persons, including a bank official.

The case, taken up on the directions of the Supreme Court, involves the alleged cheating of a senior citizen, who was coerced into transferring more than Rs 1.6 crore, under the threat of a so-called “digital arrest”.

The accused have been identified as Dubbaka Mahesh, the then assistant manager of IndusInd Bank, along with Rajesh Kanna and Vayala Srinivas.

According to the central agency, the defrauded amount was routed through a bank account fraudulently opened in the name of a company to receive proceeds of cybercrime.

Investigators found that the account was used to layer and transfer funds across multiple channels to conceal their origin.

In a follow-up action, the CBI arrested the then assistant manager of IndusInd Bank for his alleged role in facilitating the fraudulent opening of the account.

The other two accused were reportedly involved in arranging mule accounts and managing the movement of illicit funds.

Searches at premises linked to the accused led to the seizure of incriminating documents and electronic devices, which are being examined for further leads.

The CBI said it remains committed to taking strict action against individuals and entities that enable cybercrime by misusing banking systems or providing unauthorised access.

Issuing an advisory, the central agency cautioned the public against scams involving intimidation through fictitious concepts such as “digital arrest”.

It clarified that no such legal provision exists and urged citizens not to panic or comply with such threats.

People were also warned about impersonation calls made in the name of law enforcement or regulatory authorities, as well as fraudulent investment schemes.

Any suspicious activity should be reported promptly through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or at the nearest police station, the central agency said.

–IANS

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