Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police Bust Digital Arrest and Blackmail Rackets

The Cyber Crime Police of Hyderabad have arrested two individuals involved in separate cases of cyber fraud and online extortion, highlighting a growing trend of digital crimes targeting unsuspecting citizens.

In a major breakthrough, police arrested Ranjit Kumar, a 42-year-old software employee from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, for his role in a digital arrest scam. Kumar is allegedly involved in four such cases across India, including two in Telangana.

According to the police, Kumar posed as an official from Mumbai Airport and contacted a 72-year-old retired government employee from Hyderabad. The victim was falsely informed that a parcel addressed to him—allegedly containing narcotic substances—was intercepted at the FedEx International facility en route to Iran.

The fraudster further intimidated the victim by claiming to be from the Mumbai Crime Branch and said the matter was under investigation by central government agencies. He alleged that several bank accounts across different states—including Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana—were registered in the victim's name. In a state of panic, the victim transferred ₹19.61 lakh to the account number provided by the accused.

In a separate case, the Cyber Crime Unit apprehended H. Akul Singh, a 24-year-old private employee from Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad, on charges of online stalking, extortion, and blackmail using a fake Instagram profile.

Singh targeted a 21-year-old housewife by sending her obscene and morphed images of herself and her husband. He later sent a doctored photo of her sister and initiated a conversation, pretending to be someone she knew personally. The accused then began threatening to leak the images online and destroy her marriage if she failed to pay him.

Police said both cases reflect alarming methods used by cybercriminals to exploit fear and personal vulnerabilities.

The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police have issued a warning to the public, urging citizens to stay vigilant against such scams. Fraudsters are increasingly reaching out via WhatsApp, Telegram, and social media, impersonating officials from government bodies such as TRAI, CBI, ED, and the Cyber Crime Department.

These scammers typically claim victims are involved in serious crimes—ranging from money laundering to narcotics—and pressure them into transferring funds for supposed “investigations” under the pretense of Reserve Bank of India or Supreme Court orders.

“Once the money is transferred, the fraudsters immediately block the victims, making further contact impossible,” the police added.