16 states, 78 FIRs, 117 held: CCPS, Hyderabad launches ‘Operation Octopus’; smashes cybercrime dens

Hyderabad: Cyber Crime Police Station (CCPS), Hyderabad, registered as many as 78 FIRs and arrested 117 individuals from 16 states in February 2026.

The drive was part of a crackdown codenamed ‘Operation Octopus’ to dismantle cybercrime dens across the states.

The accused were linked to 74 cybercrime cases registered in the city, while investigations revealed that many of them were also involved in 1,081 cases across India, with bank transactions amounting to nearly ₹139 crore.

Police also managed to refund ₹34.76 lakh to victims of cyber fraud during the month, according to Additional Commissioner of Police (Crimes & SIT) M. Srinivasulu.

Trading and investment fraud dominate cases

According to the police, online trading and investment fraud accounted for the majority of cybercrime complaints in the city.

The modus operandi (MO) breakup of detected cases is as follows: trading and investment fraud (63 cases), digital Arrest scams (6 cases), OTP fraud (4 cases), and social media fraud (1 case).

Investigators noted that fraudsters increasingly lure victims through fake investment platforms, cryptocurrency schemes, and impersonation tactics.

Massive seizure of devices and documents

During the investigation and arrests, police seized several items used in cybercrime operations, including: ₹36 lakh, Mobile phones (221), laptops (26), cheque books (115), SIM cards (141), Debit cards (54), Shell stamps (56), passbooks (152), trade licences (5), audit reports (6), ledgers (3), and a cash counting machine.

Officials said the seized materials indicate the presence of organized cyber fraud networks operating across multiple states.

Zonal Cyber Cells handle thousands of complaints

Apart from the cases registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station, the Zonal Cyber Cells received 2,963 petitions through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) during February.

Out of these, 461 FIRs were registered, and 11 accused were arrested in nine cases across India. Police also facilitated refunds worth ₹24.10 lakh to victims during this period.

124 social media profiles promoting betting apps removed

As part of cyber patrol enforcement, Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police identified 124 Facebook and Instagram profiles running 539 paid advertisements promoting online gaming and betting applications targeting Indian users.

Police said these advertisements promised easy money, bonuses, and referral commissions, particularly targeting youth.

The profiles were reported to the platforms and subsequently taken down to prevent further circulation of illegal betting promotions. Efforts are underway to identify and trace the individuals operating these accounts.

C-Mitra initiative assists victims

Under the C-Mitra initiative, the Cyber Crime Police continued victim-support activities during February.

2,396 calls were made to victims to provide guidance and support.

257 Zero FIRs were registered based on complaints received.

Officials said the initiative helps ensure timely assistance and faster legal action in cybercrime cases.

Matrimonial scam leads to ₹11.17 lakh loss

In one case, a Hyderabad resident was cheated of ₹11.17 lakh after being contacted by a woman on a matrimonial website who claimed to be a UK-based Azure DevOps engineer.

After gaining the victim’s trust, she introduced him to a cryptocurrency trading platform named “Bakktcoin” and convinced him to invest money by promising high profits.

Initially, the victim received ₹2,663 as fake profit, but when he attempted to withdraw his funds later, the fraudsters refused and demanded more investment.

Police arrested Pedapudi Prasanna Kumar (32), a resident of Visakhapatnam, at Chennai Airport on February 24, 2026, when he arrived from Cambodia.

Investigators said he had allegedly procured nearly 1,000 SIM cards and created fake WhatsApp and matrimonial profiles to cheat victims. Two mobile phones were seized from him.

Businessman loses ₹91.5 lakh in crypto trading fraud

In another case, a businessman from Kalyan Nagar in Hyderabad lost cryptocurrency worth ₹91.54 lakh in a fraudulent transaction.

The victim had planned to sell 100,000 USDT (TRC20) through intermediaries. After completing a mandatory KYC process on a website called trontag.org, he unknowingly granted malicious wallet access, allowing fraudsters to transfer the entire amount to unknown wallets.

Police arrested Sushim Shripati Gaikwad from Pune, Lucky Choudhary from Jaipur, and Bairoju Srikanth from Hyderabad, who were allegedly operating the fraud network. Two mobile phones and a laptop were seized.

Public urged to remain cautious

Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police urged the public to remain vigilant against fake investment schemes, digital arrest scams, malicious links, betting apps, and deepfake videos.

Citizens are advised to verify online contacts, avoid sharing personal information, and report cyber fraud immediately.

Victims can report incidents through the cybercrime helpline 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in).

Police emphasized that early reporting can help authorities freeze accounts and recover lost money.