CBI arrests member of cyber criminal gang

New Delhi, Jun 13 (PTI) The CBI has arrested an alleged member of a cyber criminal gang who provided them SIM cards used for luring gullible people to a fraud scheme where scamsters offered shares of reputed listed companies at discounted rates, officials on Friday said.

Pratik Tanpure, a resident of Kalyan, was arrested by the agency as part of its ongoing nationwide crackdown on cyber-enabled financial crimes under Operation Chakra-V, they said.

The agency has conducted searches at 10 locations across Delhi, Hisar, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, and Nashik in connection with the investment fraud case.

"The accused was actively involved in supplying pre-activated SIM cards and mule bank accounts to cyber criminal networks, thereby enabling and sustaining their illegal operations. Substantial incriminating material was recovered from his possession during the searches," said a CBI spokesperson in a statement.

The conmen used a fraudulent mobile application and WhatsApp groups to lure innocent investors by promising shares of reputed listed companies at discounted rates.

"Once the victims invested their hard-earned money, the accused misappropriated the funds, causing significant financial loss to the public," the agency said.

The CBI has seized incriminating digital and documentary evidence from the premises of the accused, exposing the modus operandi employed to dupe innocent investors, it said. PTI ABS AS AS