Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Dec 29: Hyderabad police have apprehended two men from Gujarat in connection with a cyber fraud case that saw over Rs 1.95 crore extorted from a woman under the pretext of a “digital arrest.”

The accused, Saiyad Soyab Jahid Bhai and Belim Anas Rahim Bhai, both residents of Bhavnagar, were taken into custody by the Cyber Crime Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police V. Aravind Babu said.

The duo allegedly facilitated the scam by creating and managing multiple mule bank accounts, through which the victim’s funds were collected and later funneled to Dubai-based cybercriminals using Hawala networks.

The fraud came to light after the victim filed a complaint on December 13, reporting that she had been duped by callers posing as government and telecom officials. The scammers falsely claimed her husband was involved in serious criminal cases and threatened her with immediate arrest. Using fear and coercion, they instructed her to transfer money under the guise of verifying currency notes and processing legal clearance.

Believing the instructions, the victim transferred a total of Rs 1,95,76,000 via RTGS to accounts controlled by the fraudsters.

Police stated that Jahid Bhai helped set up the mule accounts, managed withdrawals, and earned a 15% commission on the amounts deposited. Rahim Bhai executed instructions from higher-level operatives, ensuring smooth transfers to the overseas fraudsters through Hawala channels.

Both men are reportedly habitual cyber offenders, and the accounts they used were linked to 22 separate cases. Authorities noted that transactions totaling around Rs 3.5 crore have been routed through these accounts, highlighting the scale of the organized operation.

The investigation is ongoing, with authorities tracing the flow of funds and other accomplices involved in the elaborate cyber fraud.