30 cyber fraudsters arrested in Jaipur under ‘Operation Cyber Shield’

The accused had conducted transactions worth ₹30 crore to defraud the unsuspecting people; raids were carried out at 40 places in the capital city

In a major campaign under the ongoing ‘Operation Cyber Shield’, the Rajasthan Police on Saturday (January 11, 2025) arrested 30 alleged cyber fraudsters after conducting raids at 40 places in five police station areas of Jaipur. The accused had conducted transactions worth ₹30 crore to defraud the unsuspecting people.

Besides indulging in nefarious activities, the cyber criminals were preparing a new batch of fraudsters to cheat the people with new methods. Along with the fraudsters operating through eight gangs, two minors have also been detained.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Jaipur West) Amit Kumar told The Hindu that three of the fraudsters had cheated gullible people in the guise of monks and astrologers offering to conduct rituals for them. “Moreover, one of the accused, a 25-year-old resident of Tonk district’s Kheda Kumbholav village, received training in cyber frauds in Sri Lanka,” Mr. Kumar said.

The Cyber Crime Branch of Rajasthan Police launched the month-long ‘Operation Cyber Shield’ on January 2 as a special campaign aimed at tackling cybercrimes, apprehending offenders, and raising public awareness. The initiative seeks to dismantle the infrastructure supporting the organised cyber-enabled economic crimes in the State and address rising cyber threats.

Mr. Kumar said his 13-member team had unearthed evidence of frauds worth ₹30 crore and blocked 135 bank accounts, 64 unified payments interfaces and 20 automated teller machines with account transactions. The material seized from the accused included laptops, mobile phones, ATM cards, WiFi routers, CCTV cameras, HDMI cables, bank passbooks, cheque books and passports.

Six criminal cases under the Bhratiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act have been registered against the accused at Kardhani, Kalwar, Harmada, Karni Vihar and Bindayaka police stations. Mr. Kumar said the cyber fraud cases had increased rapidly in the State during the past few months, with the cases of ‘digital arrest’, online betting and swindling of lakhs of rupees being reported with regularity. Elderly people and women were the main targets of fraudsters.

The special campaign against cybercrimes has laid emphasis on resolving the cases of fraud, addressing public complaints, and promoting awareness about cybersecurity among the citizens. Mr. Kumar said the Cyber Crime Branch was engaged in “hotspot mapping” for detecting and monitoring high-risk areas for cybercrimes.

Published - January 11, 2025 11:24 pm IST