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Ernakulam: In one of the biggest single-day crackdown, the Kerala Police arrested 263 people and registered 382 cases across the state on Thursday, in one of its biggest single-day crackdown on online financial fraud.
The raid was carried out under the supervision of the Cyber Operations Wing, Range DIGs and District Police Chiefs.
“It was a coordinated effort of various departments including state intelligence, police and various agencies at the local level. We also received help from locals and relatives of those arrested”, said S Sreejith, ADGP intelligence.
The cyber wing had obtained information from the National Cyber Crime Reporting portal on 3,709 suspects involved in fraud, including 2,683 individuals suspected of withdrawing illegally obtained money using cheques, and 361 people who withdrew money through ATMs, besides 665 mule accounts – rented accounts to help fraudsters withdraw money. The accused were identified after detailed verification.
As many as 714 raids were carried across the state and 88 electronic devices seized for analysis.
Christened ‘Operation Cy-Hunt’, the coordinated, statewide operation had been in the works for three months.
“Though it was conducted as a one-day special drive, the operation had been in the works for three months, with the participation of police officials across the state,” S Sreejith, ADGP (Intelligence), told reporters. He said all the arrested suspects were mule account holders.
“Another 125 people who were found to have no direct involvement in the offences were served notices and released,” he said. “The victims reportedly lost around `300 crore, but the actual figure could be higher. It’s too early to comment on the amount that can be recovered,” Sreejith said.
