CBI Arrests 43 in $15 Million Fraud Case in New Delhi
The Rouse Avenue court in New Delhi has remanded three accused to four days of CBI custody and the other 40 to judicial custody in a $15 million fraud case. The accused allegedly defrauded US citizens through a call center in Gurugram.
Details of the Case
Judicial Magistrate First Class Nishant Garg granted the custody remand of three accused to the CBI for 4 days. The other 40 accused have been remanded to judicial custody till August 9. The judge stated that the transnational nature and gravity of the offenses necessitated judicial custody to prevent tampering with evidence and influencing witnesses.
Search Operations
The CBI conducted searches at 7 locations across Delhi, Gurgaon, and Noida, intercepting live cybercriminal operations and gathering substantial incriminating evidence. Recovered items include 130 computer hard discs, 65 mobile phones, 5 laptops, incriminating documents, financial transaction details, call recordings, victim details, and transcripts used for targeting victims.
Accusations and Arrests
The accused allegedly defrauded US citizens by impersonating and inducing them to download malicious software, leading to payments for system restoration. The proceeds of the crime were channeled from multiple countries to Hong Kong. The CBI has registered an FIR based on the information provided by the agency and arrested the accused under Operation Chakra.
Legal Proceedings
The bail applications of 33 accused have been dismissed by the court. The CBI sought the 7-day custody of three accused, namely Dhairya Khattar, Dhruv Khattar, and Tushar Arora, to unearth the conspiracy and mastermind behind the fraud. The defense counsel argued against the custody, stating procedural issues during the arrest.
Evidence and Investigation
The CBI recovered three mobile phones and a diary showing transactions of US dollars from one of the cars. Voice recordings of Dhairya and Dhruv Khattar with US persons were also found, detailing the modus operandi. The investigation is ongoing to gather more evidence and uncover the full extent of the conspiracy.
Doubts Revealed
CBI -: CBI stands for Central Bureau of Investigation. It is India’s main agency for investigating serious crimes like fraud and corruption.
Rouse Avenue court -: Rouse Avenue court is a special court in New Delhi that handles cases related to corruption and other serious crimes.
remanded -: Remanded means that the court has ordered the accused to stay in custody, either with the police or in jail, while the investigation continues.
custody -: Custody means being kept by the police or in jail. There are two types: CBI custody (with the police) and judicial custody (in jail).
judicial custody -: Judicial custody means the accused are kept in jail while the court case is going on.
$15 million -: $15 million is a lot of money, around 120 crore rupees in Indian currency.
fraud -: Fraud is when someone tricks others to get money or something valuable illegally.
Gurugram -: Gurugram, also known as Gurgaon, is a city near New Delhi known for its modern buildings and business centers.
Noida -: Noida is a city near New Delhi, known for its IT and business hubs.
bail applications -: Bail applications are requests made to the court to allow the accused to stay out of jail while their case is being heard.
conspiracy -: Conspiracy means a secret plan by a group to do something illegal or harmful.
mastermind -: Mastermind is the person who plans and controls a complicated and illegal activity.