Goa Digital Arrest Case: ED Arrests RTGS Agent in ₹417 Crore Fraud Network

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement) agent Mukesh Kumar Pukhraj Jain, alias Mukesh Bhai, for allegedly helping launder proceeds from a ₹417 crore digital arrest fraud network across India.

The ED’s Panaji Zonal Office reportedly arrested Jain on October 16 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The investigation centres on a cyber fraud in which a Goa resident was allegedly forced to transfer around ₹2.6 crore into accounts described as “Secret Supervision Accounts”.

Goa Woman Duped of ₹2.6 Crore

The case began after the Cyber Crime Police Station in North Goa registered a first information report (FIR).

According to the investigation, fraudsters kept the victim on a video call, reportedly claimed she was under criminal investigation and pressured her to transfer money into designated bank accounts.

The ED found that the funds moved through a network of companies allegedly created to receive proceeds from cyber fraud, convert bank transfers into cash and subsequently exchange the money into foreign currency.

Network Linked to Over 160 FIRs

Investigators found that bank accounts linked to the network featured in more than 300 victim complaints and over 160 FIRs registered across more than 20 States and Union Territories.

The reported losses linked to these accounts total around ₹417 crore, indicating the scale of the alleged money-laundering operation.

Jain allegedly acted as an RTGS agent, using brokers to route money into the network’s bank accounts. In return, he received cash from the people operating the network and retained a commission.

In statements recorded under the PMLA, Jain admitted that he knew the money originated from cyber fraud, including digital arrest scams, the ED reportedly said.

How Digital Arrest Scams Operate

Digital arrest scams typically involve fraudsters posing as police officers or court officials during prolonged video calls. They threaten victims with arrest or claim they are under investigation before directing them to transfer money into accounts presented as official supervision or escrow accounts.

In the Goa case, the alleged fraud proceeds passed through multiple companies and bank accounts connected to hundreds of complaints across the country.

The ED’s investigation is ongoing as the agency seeks to establish the full extent of the alleged money-laundering network and the roles played by those involved.