Anantapur Police Bust Cybercrime Gang, Seize ₹42 Lakh in Cash

Fast Summary

• Anantapur police arrested five members of an inter-State gang involved in cybercrime and a nationwide investment scam.
• The gang operated fraudulent mobile apps from Cambodia, using fake bank accounts for laundering money.
• Victim Narasimhappa of Veparalla village was deceived via social media ads promoting investment tips through two fake apps – VIP66 Bajaj Investment and K26 Zerodaha Market Insights.
• Initial returns were offered to build trust,after which the victim invested ₹1.73 crore over April-May 2025.
• Scammers later demanded additional payments under the guise of taxes prompting the victim’s complaint to Cybercrime Police.
• Police registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and IT Act, forming special teams for examination.
• Arrested suspects: Bhanwarlal Goyal and Dharmendra Singh (Delhi), Durga Sai Prasad, Kongati Krishna, Phanikumar (Andhra Pradesh/Telangana).
• Seized items include ₹41.2 lakh cash, eight mobile phones, 20 ATM cards, SIM cards, bank documents, and a car; funds routed via 13 fake accounts facilitating cryptocurrency transactions.

Indian Opinion Analysis

This case sheds light on the increasing sophistication of cybercrime operations extending across national borders and involving advanced methods like cryptocurrency laundering. The use of social media ads to target vulnerable individuals highlights growing challenges in online fraud prevention mechanisms in India. Law enforcement’s success here underscores India’s cybersecurity capabilities while emphasizing ongoing threats posed by technology-aided scams.

Additionally, with seized cash indicating large sums filtered through digital channels into fake accounts abroad (e.g., Cambodia), this incident likely reinforces calls for stricter monitoring protocols for banking systems tied to technology platforms or crypto exchanges. Henceforth aggressive coordination between states-and possible international agencies-could be pivotal for curbing these global syndicates targeting Indian citizens.

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