Chandigarh Police busts major Cambodia-based digital arrest scam; 10 arrested
Rs 21 crore fraud uncovered
Harshabab Sidhu
Chandigarh, August 1, 2025:In a major crackdown on transnational cybercrime, the Cyber Crime Police Station of UT Chandigarh has dismantled a sophisticated digital arrest scam operated by a syndicate based in Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries.
The case, filed under FIR No. 86 dated July 21, 2025, at Chandigarh's Cyber Crime Police, led to the arrest of ten individuals across multiple states and exposed a scam network responsible for defrauding Indian citizens of over ₹1,000 crore every month.
Modus Operandi: Digital Arrest from Overseas
The syndicate lured victims through automated IVR calls, impersonating agencies like TRAI, CBI, and FedEx. Using SIM boxes—telecom devices that convert international internet calls into local calls—they executed mass-scale fraudulent communication, reaching victims across India.
These SIM boxes, capable of making over 200,000 IVR calls daily, enabled the gang to operate at an unprecedented scale.
Once in contact, victims were coerced into video calls, shown staged police stations, and threatened with fake legal action. The scammers extorted money by convincing individuals that their identity was linked to crimes such as money laundering. They demanded large sums be transferred for "safe custody" to escape arrest.
Exploitation of Indian Youths and Human Trafficking
The racket recruited Indian youths via Facebook and Telegram, offering jobs to operate the SIM box setups. Recruits handled infrastructure—including internet, SIM cards, and uninterrupted power—and were closely monitored in Telegram groups. Many Indian citizens, lured abroad with fake job offers, became victims of cyber slavery, forced to execute scams from countries like Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.
Large-Scale Impact
- **Financial Loss:** The digital arrest scam has defrauded Indian citizens, causing estimated losses exceeding ₹1,000 crore per month.
- **Rescued Victims:** Between 2022 and 2025, approximately 3,000 Indian citizens were rescued from scam centers in Southeast Asia.
- **Recent Case:** The current investigation began after a Chandigarh resident lost ₹1.01 crore to scammers, who used fake government documents and staged video calls to extort money.
Crackdown and Arrests
The operation, overseen by Ms. Geetanjali Khandelwal, IPS (SP-Cyber), Sh. A. Venkatesh (DSP), and Inspector Eram Rizvi (SHO Cyber Crime), led to raids in Meerut, Ludhiana, and Amritsar. Recovered items included multiple SIM boxes, hundreds of active SIM cards, mobile phones, laptops, and routers.
List of Arrested Accused:
| S.No. | Name & Details |
| 1 | Parvez Chauhan, 33 |
| 2 | Shubham Mehra alias Sunny, 25 |
| 3 | Suhail Akhtar, 35 |
| 4 | Krishana Shah, 21 |
| 5 | Vijay Kumar Shah, 22 |
| 6 | Aakash, 26 |
| 7 | Ajit Kumar, 22 |
| 8 | Vipin Kumar, 25 |
| 9 | Saroj Kumar, 19 |
| 10 | Abhishek Kumar, 19 |
Investigation Details
Telecom and bank record analysis revealed systematic abuse of telecom infrastructure, including multiple SIM activations per device and bulk SIM purchases for scams. The arrested accused confessed to distributing, activating, and managing SIM cards and equipment for the scam, with operations handled by foreign nationals based in Southeast Asia.
Recovered Items
- SIM boxes (Dinstar), over 400 SIM cards, 11 mobile phones, laptops, modems, and routers from various locations.
- A total lien of over ₹36.98 crore secured in accused bank accounts.
Advisory for Public
- No police or government officer will ever demand money or personal details over phone or WhatsApp. Any such call is fraudulent.
- Do not trust video calls showing fake officials.
- Never transfer money to "avoid arrest" or "settle cases."
- Trust only verified officials for document verification and report suspicious SIM cards via official government portals.
- Report suspected cyber crimes by contacting Cyber Crime Helpline (1930).
- Secure your Aadhaar biometrics and adjust WhatsApp privacy settings to reduce scam exposure.
Ongoing Efforts and Awareness
Chandigarh Cyber Crime Police has initiated a special awareness drive for senior citizens, conducting door-to-door outreach to educate on cybercrime threats.
Collaboration with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre and international law enforcement is underway to probe deeper, freeze illicit assets, and crack down on global networks behind these scams.
Further investigation continues to unravel the full financial and operational extent of the syndicate. The Chandigarh Police emphasize heightened vigilance and urge citizens to follow cyber safety protocols.