Probe Agency Team, Investigating Cyber Fraud Case, Attacked in Delhi

An Enforcement Directorate (ED) team was attacked during a raid in Delhi's Bijwasan area today. One ED officer was injured in the attack, police said, adding that a case has been registered in connection with the incident. 

The ED team, part of the agency's High-Intensity Unit (HIU), was conducting a search operation related to a cyber app fraud case investigation. The accused, identified as Ashok Sharma and his brother, along with family members, allegedly attacked the team during the search. The situation turned violent, resulting in injuries to an Assistant Director of the ED. The accused fled the scene in the ensuing chaos.

Local police were called to the spot immediately to control the situation and ensure the safety of the officials. An FIR has been registered, and authorities are now working to track down the attackers.

According to ED sources, the operation was designed to target a sophisticated money-laundering racket run by dubious chartered accountants. The ED worked alongside the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (i4C) and the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) to analyse thousands of cybercrime cases. Their findings uncovered a scheme to launder stolen money through a network of 15,000 "mule accounts."

The modus operandi involved layering funds through these accounts. Debit and credit cards linked to these accounts were used to transfer money to virtual accounts hosted by Pyypl, a UAE-based payment aggregator. The funds were then used to purchase cryptocurrency.