Tamil Nadu man arrested by Bengaluru police for assisting cybercriminals to launder money obtained from online frauds

Bengaluru: The city police on Saturday arrested a 37-year-old man for allegedly assisting cyber fraudsters in laundering money siphoned off from victims of cybercrimes.

The Begur police identified the suspect as P Kaviarasan, a resident of Parappana Agrahara and a native of Tamil Nadu. He ran an ice cream parlour in southeastern Bengaluru. The police seized Rs 1.1 lakh from him.

The case originated on December 5, when a cybercrime victim filed a complaint stating that an unidentified person had contacted him on November 29, posing as an officer from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

The fraudster allegedly threatened the victim, claiming that his phone number had been used for money laundering and that he would face a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) “online inquiry” unless he complied. Under pressure, the victim transferred Rs 39.7 lakh in multiple instalments.

Following an investigation, the police traced the fraudulent transactions to a mule bank account, which ultimately led them to Kaviarasan.

"The suspect withdrew money from a mule bank account near Parappana Agrahara, which provided a crucial lead. Upon detention, he confessed to the crime," an investigator told DH.

However, the police believe Kaviarasan was merely a foot soldier, having established connections with the syndicate’s mastermind through his Tamil Nadu links. The prime suspect remains at large in Mumbai.

Investigations revealed that Kaviarasan was responsible for collecting the siphoned funds, withdrawing the cash, and forwarding it to fraudsters based in Tamil Nadu and Mumbai.

The police have launched a manhunt for the kingpin, while also probing Kaviarasan’s involvement in other cases.