Kolkata: The Cyber Crime unit of the police has arrested an alleged mastermind behind a countrywide digital extortion racket, officials said. Arrested in Bengaluru, the kingpin, Chirag Kapoor’s gang, is accused of scamming individuals by threatening them with “digital arrests” and extorting over Rs 100 crore.
The breakthrough comes months after a woman reported being defrauded of Rs 47 lakh.
According to police, a woman from the city filed a complaint with the cyber crime cell last year, complaining that she received a call from individuals posing as police officers. She claimed that she was falsely accused of being linked to a drug-filled parcel intercepted in Delhi.
The callers threatened her with immediate digital arrest. Terrified, the woman pleaded for relief, and the scammers demanded Rs 47 lakh to drop the charges.
Believing the threat, the woman in her complaint stated that she transferred the money in multiple instalments. By the time she realised the fraud, the damage was done; however, she lodged a formal complaint on June 17, 2024.
Police Action
Acting on the complaint, the cyber police launched an investigation and carried out raids at multiple locations, including Patuli, Narendrapur, and Anandapur, leading to several arrests. During interrogations, Kapoor’s name surfaced as the leader of the racket. Kapoor allegedly ran the operation from a posh office in Delhi, employing young individuals in call centre roles under the guise of legitimate jobs.
According to sources, the accused, Chirag Kapoor, operated through a company that targeted victims across India via phone calls and video calls. The victims, according to the sources, were threatened with “digital arrest” on false accusations unless they sent a substantial amount of money.
Mastermind on the Run
Earlier attempts to arrest Kapoor failed when he went into hiding. However, cyber police officials tracked him down to Bengaluru, where he was arrested today. Officials seized electronic gadgets, multiple bank passbooks, and a list of victim contact numbers during searches at his office.
Ongoing Investigations
“Chirag Kapoor is now in custody and will be brought to Kolkata for further interrogation.” Kolkata Police Detective Chief, Rupesh Kumar, told ETV Bharat.
The police suspect that Kapoor was not working alone and intended to uncover the full network involved in the scam. Further investigations into the matter are ongoing, confirmed the police officer.
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