The high-profile fake call centre racket unearthed on Bauxite Road, Belagavi, has now been officially handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Bengaluru, for an expanded investigation involving advanced cyber forensics and international coordination.
Belagavi City Police had earlier busted an illegal call centre that allegedly impersonated U.S. customer-service and law-enforcement agencies to defraud American citizens. The FIR was registered on November 11, 2025, following specific intelligence shared by the Internal Security Division (ISD) and an anonymous tip-off. Based on a complaint by ASI L.S. Chinagundi of the Cyber Crime Police Station, multiple sections under the IPC and IT Act were invoked.
33 Held, Over 70 Devices Seized
A team led by ACP Raghu J and Police Inspectors B.R. Gaddekar and U.S. Avati raided a premises near Azam Nagar Circle, detaining 33 individuals—28 men and five women—hailing from various states.
During the raid, officers seized 37 laptops (₹6.5 lakh), 38 mobile phones (₹1.5 lakh) and three Wi-Fi routers (₹10,000) used to operate the illegal setup.
Of the arrested group, 28 were remanded to judicial custody on November 12. Two additional suspects, Aijaz Khan, owner of the rented property (Kumar Hall), and Tausif Mohammad Sab Sheikh, were later taken into custody for facilitating the operation.
International Fraud Trail
Investigators said the racket had been active since March 2025. The accused reportedly contacted American citizens via VoIP, posing as officials and coercing them into making payments under the threat of arrest or legal action.
A technical scan of the seized devices revealed communication attempts with over 95 U.S. nationals, confirming attempts at international cyber fraud. Because the victims are foreign citizens, the case may require INTERPOL assistance for further leads, officials said.
Why the Case Was Moved to CID
Police officials noted that the interstate nature of the accused, the international victim base and the need for sophisticated digital analysis required additional manpower and specialised expertise. The Belagavi City Police formally requested that the case be transferred to the CID, and the proposal was approved by the DG & IGP, Bengaluru.
Belagavi City Police Commissioner Bhushan Borse said the CID’s cyber-forensic capabilities and experience in transnational investigations will help uncover the broader network behind the fraud.