Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Nov 3: A cyber fraud accused wanted in multiple cases registered in Karnataka was arrested at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata while allegedly attempting to flee to Dubai, police said on Tuesday.

The accused, Sheikh Sabir, had been on the radar of the Karnataka Police and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with several fraud cases. A lookout circular had been issued against him after he evaded arrest for a considerable period.

According to officials, immigration authorities intercepted Sabir in the early hours of Tuesday when he was preparing to board a flight to Dubai. He was subsequently handed over to the airport police and formally arrested by the Bidhannagar Police.

The information has been shared with the Karnataka Police, and authorities are initiating legal procedures to obtain his transit remand and take him to Karnataka for further investigation.

"On Tuesday morning, the accused, Sheikh Sabir, had planned to flee from Kolkata to Dubai. Accordingly, he was caught by the immigration department officials when he was trying to board the plane. He was detained because there was a lookout notice against him. Soon, he was handed over to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport police station. The information has been shared with the Karnataka Police," a senior Bidhannagar Police officer said.

Investigators allege that Sabir was part of a major cyber fraud network and was involved in financial scams, including extortion and blackmail through threats of "digital arrest". Multiple complaints led to the registration of a case at the Bengaluru City Cyber Crime Police Station.

As Sabir remained untraceable, authorities issued a lookout notice against him, which eventually led to his detention at the Kolkata airport.

Officials said the process of transferring him to Karnataka was underway, with the Bidhannagar Police extending full cooperation to the investigating agencies.