Kolkata, April 16 : The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Kolkata Zonal Office, has intensified its probe into a massive cyber fraud racket involving digital arrest scams. The agency conducted search operations recently under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, across multiple locations in Kolkata, Delhi, and Bengaluru, in connection with the case involving Ms. Uma Jacinta Burney and others.

The searches led to the seizure of several incriminating documents and digital evidence tied to a sophisticated cyber fraud syndicate. The ED launched its investigation based on an FIR filed by the Kolkata Police at Cyber PS, Kolkata, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 and the Information Technology Act, 2000.

According to officials, the accused were part of a well-organised criminal conspiracy that involved impersonating officials from central agencies like the CBI and Customs.

They contacted victims via phone and WhatsApp, falsely accusing them of involvement in money laundering, and threatened them with arrest and asset seizures. The fraudsters created forged documents with logos of prestigious institutions such as the Supreme Court, RBI, Customs, and CBI, to lend credibility to their threats and extort large sums of money.

The ED's investigation further revealed that the accused used multiple current bank accounts opened in the names of individuals who lent their credentials for commissions.

These accounts were used to receive and transfer funds from the frauds, with quick movement of money across various accounts to obscure the trail and launder the proceeds.

Earlier in the case, the ED had arrested two key masterminds -- Yogesh Dua from Delhi and Chirag Kapoor alias Chintak Raj from Bengaluru -- on April 4 under Section 19(1) of the PMLA. They were initially remanded to ED custody and are currently lodged in the judicial custody.

The ED continues to follow the money trail and identify other associates involved in the digital extortion network.

/IANS