2 min readMar 27, 2026 02:04 PM IST
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a fresh FIR in connection with a cyber fraud case involving alleged digital arrest-style cheating, after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed transfer of the probe from Punjab Police.
The case has been registered at the CBI’s Special Crime Branch in Chandigarh, pertaining to offences under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, relating to cheating and impersonation using digital platforms.
According to the FIR, the case was originally registered in 2025 at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Jalandhar. The complainant, Sukhmander Singh, a resident of Jalandhar, had alleged that unknown persons cheated him through online means over a period between May and June 2025.
The CBI FIR notes that the high court, in its order dated March 17, 2026, directed that the investigation be handed over to the central agency.
Following the directions, the CBI has re-registered the case against unknown persons and entrusted the investigation to an inspector-rank officer of its Chandigarh unit. The agency will now examine the entire money trail, digital evidence, and the possible involvement of organised cybercrime networks, as per an official.
Details in the FIR indicate that the fraud involved multiple financial transactions routed through different bank accounts, suggesting the use of mule accounts — a common tactic in cyber fraud cases.
Officials said the CBI will coordinate with banks, telecom service providers and digital intermediaries to gather technical data and identify suspects, including those possibly operating across state or national boundaries.
