CBI arrests kingpin of transnational cyber fraud syndicate under Operation Chakra

New Delhi, Aug 25 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested Arjun Prakash, the alleged kingpin of a transnational cyber fraud syndicate that had been busted earlier this year as part of the agency’s flagship Operation Chakra.

Prakash, who had been on the run since May 2025, was intercepted at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), New Delhi, with the assistance of Immigration officials while attempting to board a flight to Kathmandu. He was immediately taken into custody, a statement of the probe agency said.

The CBI had registered an FIR (RC 07/2025) in May following intelligence inputs and in close coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI, USA), the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), and Microsoft Corporation.

As part of the operation, the CBI conducted searches at multiple locations in Noida, leading to the dismantling of a fraudulent call centre operating under the name FirstIdea inside the Noida Special Economic Zone. The facility was allegedly involved in a tech-support scam targeting citizens in the United Kingdom, Australia, and several European Union countries.

According to the CBI, Prakash was the principal architect and beneficiary of the operation. He allegedly established FirstIdea, supervised its daily functioning. Despite the registration of the case in May, Prakash consistently evaded law enforcement, forcing the agency to issue lookout notices.

The operation is the latest example of multi-agency cooperation across borders. The CBI highlighted the role of the FBI, NCA, and Microsoft in sharing intelligence and technical expertise that enabled the crackdown.

In its official statement, the CBI said: “CBI reiterates its commitment to combating cyber-enabled crimes that transcend borders and adversely affect India’s global standing. The Bureau continues to work closely with the FBI, National Crime Agency (UK), and Microsoft Corporation and others, to detect, disrupt, and prosecute organised cybercriminal groups under Operation Chakra and similar initiatives.”

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