ED arrests RTGS agent in ₹2.6 crore digital arrest fraud targeting Goa woman
Synopsis
The ED's arrest of a self-admitted RTGS agent in a ₹2.6 crore digital arrest case is just one node in a far larger web — over 300 victims, 160-plus FIRs, 20-plus states, and ₹417 crore in reported losses. The case lays bare how organised cybercrime gangs use layered banking networks to launder proceeds and convert them into untraceable foreign currency.
Key Takeaways
Mukesh Kumar Pukhraj Jain , an RTGS agent, was arrested by the ED's Panaji Zonal Office on 16 October 2025 under PMLA, 2002 .
He is the sixth accused arrested in the case involving the digital arrest of a Goa woman and extortion of ₹2.6 crore .
Jain admitted in his PMLA statement that he knew the funds came from cyber frauds, including digital arrest scams.
The fraud network's accounts are linked to over 300 victim complaints and more than 160 FIRs across 20+ states and Union Territories .
Total reported losses tied to the network stand at approximately ₹417 crore .
After ED searches, Jain allegedly destroyed records and mobile handsets containing evidence.
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has arrested a key operative — described as an 'RTGS agent' — linked to a cybercrime network that digitally arrested a Goa resident and extorted ₹2.6 crore from her. The accused, Mukesh Kumar Pukhraj Jain, also known as Mukesh Bhai, was taken into custody on 16 October 2025 by the ED's Panaji Zonal Office under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Who Was Arrested and What He Did
Jain is the sixth accused to be arrested in this case. A Special Court (PMLA) in Goa remanded him to ED custody until Monday following his arrest, according to an official statement. As an RTGS agent for the fraud network, Jain reportedly arranged bank credits into the network's accounts and received cash in return, pocketing a commission. In his statement recorded under the PMLA, he admitted to knowing that the funds in the chain originated from cyber frauds, including digital arrest scams.
How the Digital Arrest Fraud Was Carried Out
The victim was kept on a video call and made to believe she was under active criminal investigation. She was then coerced into transferring approximately ₹2.6 crore into accounts falsely described as 'Secret Supervision Accounts', according to the ED. The probe was initiated on the basis of an FIR registered with the Cyber Crime Police Station, North Goa.
Evidence Destruction and Non-Cooperation
Following ED searches at premises linked to the cybercrime gang, Jain allegedly destroyed records and mobile handsets containing evidence of the fraudulent operation. He also failed to appear on a date fixed for his statement and, when he did appear, gave evasive replies, the agency said.
Scope of the Fraud Network
ED investigation revealed that the extorted money flowed into a network of companies designed to receive proceeds of cyber fraud via bank transfer, convert them into cash, and then into foreign currency. The accounts associated with this network appear in over 300 victim complaints and more than 160 FIRs across more than 20 states and Union Territories, with total reported losses of approximately ₹417 crore, according to the ED.
What Comes Next
With six arrests now made, the ED's investigation into the multi-state fraud network is ongoing. The scale of the operation — spanning over 20 jurisdictions and linked to hundreds of complaints — suggests authorities are far from closing the case. Further arrests and asset attachments under the PMLA are likely as investigators trace the foreign currency trail.
Point of View
Mock CBI calls) to paralyse victims psychologically, and the conversion of proceeds into foreign currency suggests organised international linkages the ED has yet to fully unravel. Six arrests in a ₹417 crore case also raises a pointed question: where are the accounts, the companies, and the masterminds? Asset attachment, not just custodial arrests, will determine whether this investigation has teeth.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a digital arrest fraud?
A digital arrest fraud is a cybercrime where victims are placed on a video call by fraudsters posing as law enforcement officers and falsely told they are under criminal investigation. They are then psychologically coerced into transferring large sums into accounts controlled by the gang, often labelled with official-sounding names like 'Secret Supervision Accounts'.
Who is Mukesh Kumar Pukhraj Jain and why was he arrested?
Mukesh Kumar Pukhraj Jain, also known as Mukesh Bhai, is an RTGS agent who facilitated bank transfers for a cybercrime network involved in digital arrest frauds. He was arrested by the ED's Panaji Zonal Office on 16 October 2025 for his role in laundering proceeds of the fraud, and is the sixth person arrested in this specific case.
How large is the cybercrime network linked to the Goa digital arrest case?
According to the ED, the network's accounts appear in over 300 victim complaints and more than 160 FIRs filed across more than 20 states and Union Territories, with total reported losses of approximately ₹417 crore. The network used layered companies to convert fraud proceeds into cash and then into foreign currency.
What charges apply and which court is handling the case?
The case is being prosecuted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. A Special Court (PMLA) in Goa remanded Jain to ED custody immediately after his arrest. The ED investigation was triggered by an FIR registered with the Cyber Crime Police Station, North Goa.
What evidence did Jain allegedly destroy?
According to the ED, after searches were conducted at premises linked to the cybercrime gang, Jain destroyed records and mobile handsets that contained evidence of the fraudulent operation. He also failed to appear before the ED on a scheduled date and gave evasive replies when he did appear.
