The special investigation team probing the Axis Bank online swindling case took two persons into custody from Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Police said the two, Mirza Jaffer Baig and Sheikh Ifthisham Ali, were part of a massive racket that master planned online cheat.
According to top police officials, the two were nabbed by a squad led by central circle inspector Suneesh Babu.
“We arrested the two who had a role in the online money swindling case. Details about their involvement in this case had been collected and was being finalised by central zone inspector-general K. Padmakumar,” assistant commissioner of police Sunil Jacob said.
In a case that shook the urban public in the state, Rs 11.14 lakh was taken away from the account Dr R. Shabbir Khan of Lakeshore Hospital. It is learnt that a certain amount of this was transferred to the accounts of the arrested.
Cops zeroed in on the culprits based on the account details provided by the Axis Bank. It is learnt that the visuals from the ATM centres from where the money was withdrawn also helped in nabbing the culprits.
Though the special investigation team had already sent nine squads to New Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai, Suneesh Babu’s was the first to return to the state.
Eight other squads who are on the investigations there are also expected to arrest more persons in connection with the case.
City stays top on cyber frauds
It was a shock for all Kochiites, when Rs 11.14 lakh of a doctor in Lakeshore hospital was looted through cyber fraud three weeks ago.
It was indeed a warning call for the urban public here who make transactions worth millions of rupees through internet banking every day.
Intelligence sources say that Kochi is one of the hottest targets of cyber robbers, hackers and pirates.
Kochi, also being the IT hub of the state, is vulnerable to huge online scams and frauds, warn intelligence sources.
Statistics from the state hi-tech cell also adds to the fear of senior police personnel. In 2011, Kochi city was on top of the list of number of cyber crimes registered.
The city that has a population of 6,01,574 recorded 9,769 crimes last year, which denotes that one in 61 people here, is a victim of cyber crime every year.
Statistics also reveal that the number of cyber crimes recorded in the city was the maximum in 2010, when it was 10,542.
In 2009, Kochi was behind Thiruvananthapuram city with 4,401 cyber crimes, while the latter registered 4,913.
“Most companies in Kochi use internet banking for salary transactions, which means there is a higher risk of cyber thefts. If a company or a bank is not foolproof, and a person intrudes into these accounts, there is always a chance of theft,” said a top intelligence source.
Police also warn companies to be alert over scam emails and bogus websites, as these are master traps set up by cyber robbers.
Nature of cases stumps police
With cyber complaints mounting by the hour, the cops are finding it hard to crack most cases.
The shocking rise in the number of cyber cases has raised many questions regarding the methods adopted by cops to track them.
Of the 10,000-odd cases registered last year, the police has managed to solve only a few.
Two notable cases registered by the Kochi city police are a money fraud case and the other, a Facebook account impersonation case filed by film actor Razana Muhammed.
According to the police, both the cases are yet to be solved. In May last, Anoop Radhakrishnan, a businessman based at Kochi lost close to Rs 1 lakh when his username and password were stolen.
The businessman brought it to the notice of the authorities at the Edappally branch of a private bank, where he had an account.
The bank asked the businessman to lodge a complaint with the police.
In the second case, Razana Muhammed moved the cyber cell in July last.
Her complaint was that her facebook account has been tampered with and that somebody had impersonated her.
Case diary
Regions 2011 2010 2009
* Kochi City 9,769 10,542 4,401
* Ernakulam Rural 5,511 5,531 1,530
* Thiruvananthapuram City 2,428 4,818 4,913
* Thiruvananthapuram Rural 2,523 2,094 1,588
* Alappuzha 6,470 5,668 52
* Kottayam 6,401 4,485 2,071