Image used to represent | Photo credit: The Hindu
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday (February 25, 2026) arrested three accused persons following searches in six states in connection with the high-value ‘digital arrest’ scam case involving about ₹ 1.86 crore.
The arrested persons were identified as Blessin Jacob Abraham, Mohammad Mushtaque and Mohammad Junaid. The agency said the case pertains to fraud on a senior citizen from Kottayam in Kerala.
“Through careful digital forensics and financial trail analysis, investigators uncovered a complex network involving several states with indications of international ties,” it said.
The CBI has launched an operation targeting two critical components of the cyber fraud ecosystem – the network of mule bank accounts and fraudulently obtained SIM cards. Searches were conducted in Goa, Bengaluru, Palakkad, Nagpur, Hyderabad and Delhi, leading to the seizure of digital devices, debit cards and bank account documents.
Mr Abraham was arrested from a hotel in Goa. The agency accused him of playing a key role in running mule accounts and facilitating cryptocurrency transactions linked to the scam. Several digital devices containing incriminating data were seized from him.
The second accused, Mr. Mushtaque, was picked up from Nagpur. He allegedly managed the mule accounts through a shell company. The agency found a large number of debit cards and digital devices on his premises.
Mr. Junaid arranged SIM cards for use in committing fraud. According to the CBI, he was arrested in Bengaluru.
It was alleged that Mr. Junaid duped unsuspecting individuals into obtaining their identification documents by offering them “5G SIM upgrades” and used them to activate the SIM cards, which were then used in cyber fraud operations believed to be orchestrated from abroad.
“An investigation is underway to identify additional domestic and international collaborators and dismantle the broader cyberfraud infrastructure. This operation is a step toward dismantling the ecosystem that enables ‘digital arrest’ fraud,” the agency said.
Published – 26 Feb 2026 0:40 AM IST
