Enforcement Directorate arrests four more accused linked to cyber fraud syndicate involving “Chinese scammers”

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested four accused in a case related to cyber fraud of ₹2.60 crore by a person posing as a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official, who was part of a network involving “Chinese scammers”.

The accused have been identified as Tamilarasan Kuppan (29), Ajith (28), Prakash (26), and Aravindan (23). They were arrested from Pallipattu in Tamil Nadu. “All the four accused were involved in incorporation of shell companies and opening of bank accounts, through which Proceeds of Crime (PoC) generated from cyber scams were laundered,” said the Agency.

While the ED has secured their four-day custody from a special court in Bengaluru for interrogation, it has frozen PoC of ₹2.80 crore in the bank account of a shell company.

The ED initiated the investigation on the basis of First Information Reports (FIRs) registered at various police stations across the country, including the one lodged with the Special Offences and Cyber Crime Police, Jaipur.  

“The whole process and activities related to transactions in the bank accounts of these shell companies were done through a WhatsApp group where Tamilarasan, Ajith, Aravindan, Prakash along with Chinese scammers were members,” it said.

The four accused ran a syndicate to assist cyber fraudsters in arranging dummy directors, addresses and documents for incorporation of shell companies and liaison with bank personnel for opening of accounts through which the funds generated from the cyber frauds were diverted and laundered.

Earlier, the ED had arrested four others named M. Shashi Kumar, M. Sachin, S.K. Kiran and C. Charan Raj in Bengaluru. They are currently in judicial custody.

“So far, 17 searches have been conducted on various premises which led to the seizure of various incriminating material, including mobile phones and other digital devices, and freezing of ₹2.80 crore in the bank account,” the Agency said.