101 held in south India cybercrime crackdown

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, October 8, 2026

Authorities in southern India arrested 101 individuals involved in a cybercrime operation that uncovered over Rs170 million in fraudulent financial transactions across six states. The crackdown, led by the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau, aims to dismantle multi-state fraud networks and marks their second major coordinated effort targeting cyber-enabled financial crime.

Authorities in southern India have arrested 101 individuals in a large-scale cybercrime crackdown targeting financial fraud, officials said. The operation, coordinated by the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB), uncovered fraudulent transactions totaling approximately Rs170 million (about $2.2 million), linked to over 1,100 cases across multiple states.

The two-week campaign began on September 23 and spanned Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Puducherry. According to TGCSB Director Shikha Goel, the action was designed to disrupt networks involved in cyber-enabled financial crimes exploiting several jurisdictions simultaneously. This marks the bureau’s second major multi-state operation of this nature.

More than 100 TGCSB personnel formed six dedicated special teams to conduct coordinated field investigations, Goel stated. Of those detained, 19 were identified as agents facilitating the fraud, while 81 were mule account holders—individuals who allow their bank accounts to be used to move illicit funds.

The arrests were distributed across the states as follows: Kerala accounted for the highest number with 35 arrests, Andhra Pradesh had 22, Karnataka 17, Tamil Nadu 14, Telangana 12, and Puducherry one. During the operation, authorities seized numerous mobile phones, SIM cards, bank passbooks, and cheque books allegedly linked to fraudulent transactions.

Further inquiry revealed the accused came from diverse backgrounds in terms of age, profession, and education. A majority (82%) were between 20 and 50 years old, while around 17% were older than 50. Business owners and self-employed individuals constituted the largest segment (23%), followed by those in private employment (13%), homemakers (10%), drivers or operators (7%), and sales or marketing professionals (5%).

The TGCSB emphasized that the operation underscores ongoing efforts to identify and dismantle cybercrime syndicates operating across state lines in India’s rapidly evolving digital environment. Investigations are continuing as authorities seek to further trace the origins and beneficiaries of these fraudulent networks.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.