In a major breakthrough under its ongoing anti-cybercrime initiative ‘Chakra-V’, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has unearthed a transnational cyber fraud network targeting citizens in the United States and Canada.
Acting on credible intelligence, the agency conducted searches at three locations across India and arrested one accused, Rahul Arora, in New Delhi.
Evidence uncovers sophisticated international operation
According to CBI officials, the accused impersonated government officials and representatives of reputed tech support firms to defraud foreign nationals.
The searches yielded strong technical and digital evidence, including:
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International calling devices
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Software to spoof caller IDs
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Lead generation tools based on social engineering
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Voice recordings and other tools used in cyber fraud
Significantly, the agency also seized virtual digital assets (cryptocurrency) worth ₹2.8 crore and unaccounted cash of ₹22 lakh, pointing to the scale of operations.
CBI enhancing digital seizure capabilities
The CBI has been strengthening its in-house capabilities for the seizure and legal handling of virtual digital assets (VDAs).
The agency has already executed successful VDA seizures in several ongoing cases, in line with existing legal frameworks.
Relentless pursuit under ‘Chakra-V’
The Chakra-V initiative is a focused campaign launched by the CBI to crack down on cyber-enabled financial crimes, particularly those with cross-border elements.
Introduced in 2023, it targets organised cybercrime networks that operate scams involving phishing, tech support fraud, cryptocurrency theft, and identity theft—often targeting victims in countries like the US and Canada.
The initiative is notable for its multi-agency coordination, involving state cyber cells, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), and international partners such as Interpol and the FBI.
Chakra-V focuses on digital forensics, seizure of VDAs, and tracing activities on the dark web.