How AP ACB is being trained to track cryptocurrency linked to bribe

Visakhapatnam: Have you heard about the case of cops cheating cops?

In November 2025, a cryptocurrency scam rocked the Visakhapatnam Police Commissionerate. A total of 230 police officials allegedly lost Rs 7 crore in a racket run by two constables serving in Vizag Police.

What did the constables promise their colleagues?

The two accused constables, now under suspension, had promised their police colleagues (victims) a monthly return of Rs 1.2 lakh on investment of Rs 3 lakh in cryptocurrency.

Lured and mesmerised by the promise of high returns, several cops fell victim to the fraud. The constables also promised a return of the investment (i.e. Rs 3 lakh) at the end of 110 days.

Which crypto was mentioned?

The Ponzi scheme was run under the names of UB Coin, EPZ, Yes World and GRFS. As the fraud unfolded, the Commissioner of Police, Shanka Brata Bagchi, ordered the cybercrime wing to investigate the case. However, no case was registered. The matter is under probe.

This particular crypto fraud case fell under the scanner of the AP Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Smelling corruption in the form of cryptocurrency, the department, which is currently in full throttle mode by booking several Disproportionate Assets (DA) cases against corrupt officials, has trained its guns against digital fraud.

On February 24, in a first-of-its-kind action, the AP ACB trained both senior and junior officials on an investigation into cryptocurrency.

Corrupt officials using bribes to buy crypto, says AP ACB Director General

Speaking exclusively to NewsMeter, Andhra Pradesh ACB Director General, Atul Singh, explained, “In two instances, we have found that corrupt officials are parking their ill-got money in cryptocurrency. In one of the DA cases booked in the AP North coastal area, the accused used the bribe money to purchase cryptocurrency. Through this, we found that officials under the radar are buying and selling cryptocurrency”

He further added, “When ACB conducts searches, the first 48 hours are crucial as the sleuths involved in the case have to collect maximum evidence in the form of immovable and movable assets. The evidence amounts to the right execution of the case. Apart from tracing land, gold, and assets in buildings have to be a look into.

Now, ACB will also have to probe if the accused officer has invested in cryptocurrency. In this regard, we have given the task to a Delhi-based organisation associated with the Ministry of Home Affairs to train AP ACB sleuths.”

How were the ACB officials trained in crypto?

It has come to the notice of ACB that:

- Some corrupt public servants have been concealing their ill-got assets in the form of Digital Assets.

- An investigation of Virtual Digital Assets (VDA) was conducted for officers of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

- The training programme was organised in coordination with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

- Expert officers from I4C imparted training on emerging trends in Virtual Digital Assets, cryptocurrency transactions, block-chain analysis, tracing of crypto wallets, seizure procedures, preservation of digital evidence and legal provisions relating to VDA investigations.

- The programme aimed to strengthen the technical and investigative capabilities of ACB officers in handling cases involving digital financial transactions and virtual assets, particularly in corruption and DA cases where crypto assets and share- trading are suspected to be involved.

- The officers were exposed to case studies relating to real-time scenarios.

How is cryptocurrency purchased and sold?

There are three formats:

1. Bank-to-Bank Transaction: During the investigation, it is enough to blow the lid off if ACB sleuths come across a huge money transaction to a different account.

Any cryptocurrency money has to be shared to their bank account and this suspicious transaction will reflect in their bank statement.

2. WhatsApp or email conversations regarding cryptocurrency dealings.

3. Dairy or written notes regarding cryptocurrency purchase or sale.

New dimension to corruption

In conversation with NewsMeter, AP ACB DG Atul Singh added, “Bribe money invested in cryptocurrency is a new dimension being explored by corrupt officials. This is the beginning of a new trade.In the majority of the cases, we see how money is parked in the form of lands, villas, apartments, share market, gold and even registered in the name of benami. But investing in crypto is new. We are training our cops to ensure no avenue is left without investigation.