Hyderabad Cyber Crimes Unit Arrests 52 People, Including Senior Bank Officials
The Hyderabad City Cyber Crimes Unit has conducted a major operation, leading to the arrest of 52 individuals, including three senior bank officials, for their involvement in fraudulent activities. The special operation was carried out by seven teams across multiple states, including Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar, and Hyderabad. A total of 33 significant cases were detected during this crackdown.
Bank Officials Involved in Fraud
Among those arrested were high-ranking bank employees accused of facilitating fraudulent transactions. Shubham Kumar Jha, Deputy Manager at RBL Bank in Bangalore, allegedly misused his access to sensitive financial data to enable unauthorized transfers.
Similarly, Haroon Rasheed Imamuddin Dharawad, Assistant Vice President of Axis Bank in Bangalore, was found to have bypassed standard banking procedures to authorize illegal transactions. Another accused, Kata Srinivasa Rao, Sales Manager at Kotak Mahindra Bank, reportedly recruited unsuspecting customers into fraudulent schemes and helped open accounts used for money laundering.
Details of the Fraud Cases
The cases detected by the cybercrime police included a range of offenses:
– 3 cases of trading fraud
– 4 cases of digital fraud
– 6 cases of investment fraud
– 2 cases of data theft
– 3 cases related to social media scams
– 3 cases of job fraud
– 9 cases involving Tipline (Child Sexual Abuse Material)
– 1 case each of part-time job scams, APK file fraud, and USDT purchase fraud
The total amount of money involved in these frauds was a staggering ₹88.32 crore.
Seized Items and Financial Recovery
The arrested individuals were wanted in 576 cases across India, including 74 cases in Telangana. During the operation, the police seized:
– 43 mobile phones
– 39 ATM cards
– 17 bank passbooks
– 54 cheque books
– 16 SIM cards
– 3 laptops
– 13 shell stamps
– Cash worth ₹47.90 lakh
– Cryptocurrency worth ₹40 lakh
In total, assets worth ₹87.90 lakh were recovered. Additionally, ₹2.87 crore was frozen in the bank accounts of the accused.
Police Statement and Cybercrime Unit's Performance
Hyderabad City Police Commissioner CV Anand praised the coordinated efforts of the teams, which used advanced investigative methods and intelligence to dismantle the fraud networks. He revealed that in 2024, the cybercrime unit detected 354 cases, arrested 300 people (including 294 men and six women), and took action against 511 others under PT warrants. The unit refunded ₹41.34 crore to victims, froze ₹41.22 crore under NCRP, and put ₹80.16 crore on hold during ongoing investigations.
Public Safety Advisory
The cybercrime police have urged citizens to remain alert and avoid engaging with individuals on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram who promote lucrative investment schemes. They also advised against trusting websites or groups promising high returns on small investments.
Citizens are further cautioned to stay wary of unknown calls or messages. Law enforcement agencies never issue digital warrants or demand money in exchange for proving innocence. If anyone encounters suspicious activity, they are encouraged to report it immediately by calling the cybercrime helpline at 1930 or visiting the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in.
