TGCSB nabs 21 cyber criminals

Hyderabad: In a major operation, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) arrested 21 cyber offenders, including eight agents from different parts of the State. The bureau seized mobiles, SIM cards, bank account passbooks, and debit cards.

The arrested persons are Ramesh Kumar of Katedan, Haroon Khan of Kishanbagh, Shaik Mateen of Charminar, Mirza Hyder Askari of Charminar, Mohd Dastagir Farhan of Chandrayangutta, Noor Jahan of Jahanuma, Mujahed Hussain of Moula Ali, Mohd Rahmathulllah of Golconda, Durga Prasad of Uppal, Thirumala Subhash of Malkajgiri, Mohd Salman of Chandrayangutta, Sankendla Raju of Karimnagar and Mohd Sumairuddin of Falaknuma. The agents who are arrested are Mujtaba Ali of Moula Ali, Jafer Ali of Charminar, Mohd Masood of Falaknuma, Ahmed Raza of Charminar, Mamidipalli Prasad, Asthapuram Vishnu, Vemula Akkanna, and Donthasarapu Anil, all from Karimnagar.

According to TGCSB, the operations and technical teams, after carrying out a detailed technical analysis of cybercrime and criminal data and thorough field verifications, conducted a special operation in Hyderabad, Cyberabad, Rachakonda, Karimnagar, and Jagatiyal and arrested 21 cyber criminals who are involved in 25 cybercrime cases in Telangana and 73 cases PAN India under various MOs: business investments, part-time jobs, digital arrests, KYC frauds, and matrimonial frauds. They have criminal links with 714 cybercrime suspects across the country.

“Out of the arrested, 13 were involved in using their bank accounts to withdraw the proceeds of cybercrimes through cheques and handing them over to next-level agents. The total amount withdrawn by them was Rs 8.2 crore. The remaining eight accused are the next-level agents who were collecting the withdrawn money and transferring the same to their counterparts operating from foreign countries through crypto currency,” said Shikha Goel, Director of the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau.

She said that these agents have criminal links with 325 cyber crime hotspots suspects across the country. Some of these criminals operating from other countries have been identified. Also, some of these crypto wallets (five till now) have been identified, and an investigation to unravel the money flow is underway.

The arrested individuals were handed over to the concerned police units for further investigation and legal proceedings.