1cr digital arrest: Scamster with 40 mule accounts held in Chennai

Chennai: A 40-year-old digital scamster, posing as an NIA officer, operated more than 40 mule bank accounts and siphoned 1 crore from a victim. He was arrested by the Central Crime Branch on Tuesday.Police said Sathyamoorthy, 60, of Nolambur, got calls from unidentified persons claiming to be officers from the Anti-Terrorism Squad and National Investigation Agency (NIA), saying he had disclosed security-related information and threatened him, claiming they ‘digitally arrested' him. They asked him to download the ‘Signal Chat' app, close his fixed deposit account and send them money.Believing them, Sathyamoorthy transferred 1 crore to the bank account they provided. The fraudsters then sent a false bail order and demanded more money, following which Sathyamoorthy filed a complaint. Investigation revealed that about 1 crore was transferred to accounts in Haridwar and Rajasthan through various intermediary accounts. A special team arrested Azharuddin, 40, of Mannadi on Tuesday.Investigation revealed that Azharuddin managed more than 40 mule bank accounts to collect money from defrauding victims and received commission for facilitating such transactions. Through his contacts, he arranged bank account holders and enabled withdrawal of funds through cheques. For a transaction of 5-5.5 lakh, Azharuddin received about 3% commission. He said he had received about 1.2 lakh in this way.He was produced before a magistrate on Tuesday and remanded in judicial custody.