Chennai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Saturday that four individuals from Pallipattu town in Tiruvallur district have been arrested for their involvement in cyber fraud. The accused, identified as Tamilarasan Kuppan (29), Prakash (26), Aravindan (23), and Ajith (28), reportedly set up shell companies and bank accounts to hide the money obtained through various cyber fraud schemes. The ED conducted searches in Tiruvallur following a suspicious transaction of 2.6 crore rupees through a bank account, leading to the arrest of the suspects. The Bengaluru court granted the ED four days of custody to investigate the case further.

The group was part of a WhatsApp network that included Chinese scammers, through which they facilitated the laundering of funds gained from cyber fraud using shell companies. Tamilarasan, along with Ajith, Prakash, and Aravindan, ran a syndicate that provided support to cyber fraudsters by creating fake directors, addresses, and documents for the shell companies. The ED discovered an account in Bandhan Bank under the name of Cyberforest Technology Private Limited with a deposit of 2.8 crore rupees, frozen as part of the investigation. The case involves a business owner in Jaipur being cheated out of 2.6 crore rupees by Chinese scammers impersonating government agencies. The ED took on this case following multiple FIRs filed by state police across the country, eventually tracing the money to Tiruvallur.

Previously, the ED had arrested Shashi Kumar M, Sachin M, Kiran S K, and Charan Raj in Bengaluru in August. The agency has conducted 17 searches so far, seizing incriminating evidence such as mobile phones and digital devices.Electronic devices. Investigations under PMLA, 2002 have so far revealed proceeds exceeding 28 crore from cyber scams. Following the arrest of four individuals from Pallipattu town in Tiruvallur district for their involvement in cyber fraud, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced that the accused - Tamilarasan Kuppan, 29, Prakash, 26, Aravindan, 23, and Ajith, 28 - set up shell companies and bank accounts to launder the illicitly obtained funds from various cyber fraud schemes. ED conducted searches in Tiruvallur relating to a 2.6 crore transaction through a suspicious bank account before apprehending the men. They have been granted four-day custody by the Bengaluru court for ED cases. The group collaborated with Chinese scammers via a WhatsApp group to assist in money laundering by creating shell companies and arranging for dummy directors and addresses. An account belonging to Cyberforest Technology Private Limited in Bandhan Bank with a 2.8 crore deposit was frozen by the agency. This case involves the defrauding of a Jaipur businessman of 2.6 crore by Chinese fraudsters posing as government agencies, with the Jaipur cybercrime police having filed a case in early September. The ED's investigation originated from various FIRs filed by state police across the country linking the transaction to Tiruvallur. In a prior incident, four individuals were arrested in August in Bengaluru by the ED.Up to now, 17 searches have been carried out, resulting in the confiscation of evidence such as mobile phones and other digital devices. The ongoing investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 has uncovered proceeds exceeding 28 crore rupees obtained from cyber scams.