State vs Mohammad Mushtaque and others — Digital arrest scam nationwide

The Enforcement Directorate uncovered a pan-India organised network of cyber fraudsters operating digital arrest scams, affecting over 330 victims and resulting in losses exceeding Rs 400 crore. The network is subject to over 163 FIRs across 20 states and Union Territories.

The CBI took over a high-profile digital arrest fraud case involving a 76-year-old widowed pensioner allegedly cheated of Rs 1.64 crore. The CBI arrested at least three accused, including Mohammad Mushtaque (described as a 'shell company operator'), in nationwide raids across multiple states.

The Telangana police registered one of the first cases in India of human trafficking committed for the purpose of forcing victims to commit cyber fraud. At least 149 human trafficking victims were involved in the operation, which was identified during a joint Interpol operation.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches across three districts in Bihar (Gopalganj, Saran, and East Champaran) to investigate a human trafficking case involving a youth allegedly trafficked to Cambodia and forced into cyber fraud activities.

A key accused in a high-profile 'digital arrest' fraud case was arrested by the Cyber Crime Police in Hyderabad. The case involves a sophisticated online fraud scheme targeting victims through impersonation.

The Supreme Court registered a suo motu case in October 2025 after a senior citizen couple from Haryana reported being defrauded of Rs 1.5 crore in a digital arrest scam. The Court issued 13-point directions to combat such scams nationwide, recognizing this as a widespread issue affecting multiple states and directing RBI, banks, and state authorities to implement urgent SOPs and cybercrime coordination mechanisms.