The Kochi city cyber police, who are probing a massive cyber fraud in which a city-based pharmaceutical businessman allegedly lost ₹24.76 crore, have arrested three youths from Kozhikode who are suspected to have played a key role in the scam.
The arrested are Rahees P.K., 39, of Koduvally, Ansar V., 39, of Tholamuthamparambu, and Anees Rahman C.K., 25, of Pantheerankavu. The arrest of the trio comes a month after a woman from Kollam, Sujitha G., was arrested in the case. The accused were arrested by a team led by Inspector Shemeerkhan P.A.
“The three have played a crucial role in the chain of activities involved in the crime,” District Police Chief (Kochi City) Putta Vimaladitya said on Friday (October 17). He added that they had handled a number of bank accounts to transact the amount involved in the scam.
“As many as 250 SIM cards, 40 mobile phones, laptops, and debit cards were seized from a flat used by the accused. The police also received details of around 40 bank accounts from them. The accused used to get access to the bank accounts of others on a commission basis. They have taken ₹3.4 lakh from the proceeds of the crime. It is being investigated how long they have been involved in such activities,” the officer added.
Mr. Vimaladitya said the police had received information about two more suspects. The police found that a large portion of the proceeds from the crime had been transferred to bank accounts abroad, and that several persons within the country and abroad were involved in the scam.
On tracing the larger network suspected to be behind the crime, Mr. Vimaladitya said investigators were trying to find out where the fake stock trading website used by the accused to cheat the complainant was hosted. “We haven’t got adequate details, but we have taken steps to get the website blocked,” he said.
Hyderabad links
On earlier reports of suspected involvement of a Hyderabad-based network in the scam, the officer said several bank accounts used in the scam were found to be linked to some people involved in similar crimes in that city. “More investigation is needed in the matter,” he said.
The alleged fraud occurred over two years, between March 2023 and August 2025.
Published – October 17, 2025 09:34 pm IST
