AP gang held in TN ‘digital arrest’ scam; used 542 SIM cards, posed as CBI
Gang posed as central officials and extorted victims via WhatsApp calls; Tamil Nadu cyber wing says major frauds foiled through data-driven monitoring
In a cyber fraud under the guise of “digital arrest,” the Ranipet district Cyber Crime Police have arrested five individuals who allegedly cheated the public of lakhs of rupees by using as many as 542 SIM cards.
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The gang, which had been intimidating and extorting money from the public through “digital arrest” in Ranipet district, was apprehended by the district Cyber Crime Police after an intensive investigation.
Gang traced, five arrested
The case came to light on December 16, 2025, when the Ranipet Cyber Crime Wing received a complaint about fraudsters impersonating central government officials or CBI officers. The accused contacted victims through WhatsApp video calls, threatened them, and demanded money.
Investigators traced the phone numbers mentioned in the complaint, examined bank accounts, mobile records, and used specialised investigation software. Analysis of the numbers used by the accused revealed that, in the past one year alone, 542 SIM cards had been changed or activated with those numbers to threaten and cheat various individuals. Continuous monitoring also revealed that the gang had come to Tamil Nadu to procure fresh SIM cards.
The special police team tailed the suspects and arrested five individuals from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh: Singampalli eSIM engineer Ganesh (36), digital eSIM operator Pappala Kishore Kumar (36), Airtel agent Chella Sandeep Kumar (27), driver Sanapathi Prasad (28), and Thalla Ramakrishnan (29).
Cyber wing’s major feats
Meanwhile, using its innovative “pre-crime intervention” model involving advanced data analytics and real-time monitoring of suspicious transactions, the wing has foiled potential frauds worth over ₹1,000 crore and rescued more than 800 individuals from falling victim to sophisticated online scams over the past year.
In a significant achievement, the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing has blocked or taken down 1,333 fake websites, social media pages, and fraudulent apps, including those mimicking official government portals.
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Through sustained operations such as “Thiraineeku” and “Hydra,” the wing has effected 952 arrests in cybercrime cases this year, including 27 offenders detained under the Goondas Act.
Police said that no government official will ever conduct an investigation or “digital arrest” through WhatsApp video calls. Anyone affected by cyber fraud should immediately dial the helpline 1930 or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in.
