In Chennai, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reported the arrest of four young individuals from Pallipattu town in Tiruvallur district for their involvement in cyber fraud. The accused – Tamilarasan Kuppan, aged 29; Prakash, aged 26; Aravindan, aged 23; and Ajith, aged 28 – were found to have established shell companies and opened bank accounts to launder money obtained from various cyber fraudulent activities. Following a search in Tiruvallur regarding a suspicious bank account transaction of 2.6 crore, the four men were apprehended. A court in Bengaluru, which handles ED cases, has granted custody of the accused to the ED for a period of four days.

Investigations revealed that the gang was connected to a WhatsApp group involving Chinese scammers and assisted in laundering money from cyber frauds through shell companies. Tamilarasan, in collaboration with Ajith, Prakash, and Aravindan, operated a network to aid cyber criminals in setting up dummy directors, addresses, and documents for shell companies. They also interfaced with bank officials to open accounts used for laundering funds derived from cyber frauds. The ED froze an account containing 2.8 crore under the name of a shell company named Cyberforest Technology Private Limited at Bandhan Bank.

This case originated from the scamming of a businessman in Jaipur for 2.6 crore by Chinese fraudsters impersonating various government agencies. The Jaipur cybercrime police initiated a case in early September. Subsequently, the ED took over the investigation based on multiple FIRs filed by state police across the nation, tracing the scheme to Tiruvallur. Prior to this, the ED had apprehended four individuals in Bengaluru – Shashi Kumar M, Sachin M, Kiran S K, and Charan Raj – in August. The agency had conducted 17 searches and seized incriminating materials such as mobile phones and digital devices.Electronic devices. Investigation conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 has revealed proceeds exceeding 28 crore rupees derived from cyber scams. Following the arrest of four individuals from Pallipattu town in Tiruvallur district for their participation in cyber fraud, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stated that the accused individuals, Tamilarasan Kuppan (29), Prakash (26), Aravindan (23), and Ajith (28), had established shell companies and bank accounts to launder the illicit funds obtained from various cyber fraud activities. The ED executed searches in Tiruvallur in connection with a suspicious transaction of 2.6 crore rupees via a bank account before apprehending the aforementioned individuals. The Bengaluru court handling ED cases granted the agency four-day custody of the accused individuals for further investigation. The suspects collaborated with Chinese scammers as part of a WhatsApp group and facilitated the laundering of money acquired from cyber frauds through shell companies. They were involved in providing false directors, addresses, and documentation for these entities, and liaised with bank representatives to open accounts through which the illicit funds were circulated. An account containing 2.8 crore rupees in the name of a shell company named Cyberforest Technology Private Limited at Bandhan Bank was frozen by the agency. This particular case involves the defrauding of a businessman in Jaipur for 2.6 crore rupees by Chinese fraudsters impersonating various central government agencies. The Jaipur cybercrime police initiated a case in early September, which was subsequently taken over by the ED following its investigation based on multiple FIRs filed by various state police departments nationwide. Previous arrests were made by the ED in Bengaluru involving individuals Shashi Kumar M, Sachin M, Kiran S K, and Charan Raj in August.Up until now, 17 searches have been carried out, resulting in the seizure of evidence such as mobile phones and other digital devices. The ongoing investigation under PMLA, 2002 has uncovered proceeds totaling over 28 crore originating from cyber scams.