Belagavi: Karnataka high court has vacated the stay order, thereby clearing the decks for a CID probe into a cyberfraud case involving a fake call centre targeting American citizens, unearthed by Belagavi police last Nov.Given the scale and global nature of the fraud, the state govt had transferred the investigation to CID. However, even before CID could formally take over the case, the accused secured bail from the high court, citing procedural lapses in the police department. The accused also obtained a stay order that temporarily halted further CID probe.
After nearly three months, the high court on Monday vacated the stay, effectively reopening the door to a full-fledged CID inquiry. City police commissioner Bhushan Borase told TOI the CID probe would begin soon. During a raid conducted by the city police, 33 suspects, including five women, were detained. Police seized 37 laptops, 37 mobile phones, VoIP devices, routers, SIM cards, and other incriminating digital records. Based on initial findings, police suspect the gang might have cheated more than 1,000 American nationals, with the fraud running into hundreds of crores of rupees. The masterminds were based in West Bengal and Gujarat, while the Belagavi unit was reportedly used as an operational hub.According to investigators, the accused used VoIP and VPN to impersonate US law enforcement or customer service officials. Using pre-written scripts, they allegedly threatened victims with legal action or “digital arrest” and coerced them into making payments, often through gift cards. The use of VoIP and VPNs made the calls appear as if they originated from within the US, enabling the fraudsters to gain the trust of victims. The suspects reportedly hailed from different states, indicating a well-organised interstate racket. Police had also arrested the owner of the building from where the fake call centre was functioning, as well as the operator of the facility. Investigators said a preliminary analysis of four laptops and four mobile phones have revealed data related to at least 85 American citizens who were defrauded through cybercrime. Police said the number of victims could rise sharply once the full digital evidence is analysed.
