NEW DELHI, Feb. 18 -- In a major breakthrough against international cyber fraud, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has dismantled a sophisticated crime network that had been targeting German nationals since 2021. The operation, part of the agency's ongoing Operation Chakra-IV, was carried out in close coordination with German law enforcement authorities.
CBI's International Operations Division registered a case on February 12, 2025, against three identified suspects - Rahul Shaw, Shubham Sharma, and Rajeev Budhiraja - along with unknown others. They have been charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including cheating and forgery, as well as provisions of the Information Technology Act.
Investigators found that between 2021 and 2022, the accused ran a fraudulent tech support scam targeting German citizens. Posing as cybersecurity professionals, they falsely informed victims that their bank accounts had been compromised. Under the pretext of safeguarding their funds, the fraudsters manipulated victims into transferring a total of Euro 646,032 (approximately Rs 5.8 crore) into cryptocurrency wallets controlled by the group.
After gathering intelligence, the CBI conducted extensive searches at multiple locations linked to the accused. Between February 14 and 17, raids were carried out in Delhi, Kolkata, and Siliguri, resulting in the recovery of crucial digital evidence. Investigators found that the crime network had been laundering its proceeds through cryptocurrency channels to avoid detection.
One of the prime suspects, Rahul Shaw, was arrested from Siliguri and produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate at Rouse Avenue District Courts in New Delhi. The CBI also busted an illegal call centre being operated by the accused in Darjeeling.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.