DELHI: An Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer was injured after the agency’s team was attacked while conducting a raid in connection with a cyber fraud investigation in Delhi’s Bijwasan area on Thursday. The officer sustained minor injuries but continued with the operation after receiving first aid, officials confirmed.
The ED team had gone to a farmhouse in Bijwasan to raid the residence of a chartered accountant (CA) as part of their probe into a cyber app fraud case. Upon arrival, they were reportedly attacked by the suspect, Ashok Sharma, and his family. The assailants, including Sharma, allegedly confronted the officers, with one individual fleeing the scene. The premises have been secured, and an FIR is being filed.
The raids were carried out by the ED’s High-Intensity Unit (HIU) and were part of an ongoing investigation into the laundering of illicit funds generated from numerous cybercrimes, such as phishing scams, QR code frauds, and part-time job scams.
The ED explained that the operation targeted chartered accountants linked to a major cybercrime network operating across India. The investigation revealed that funds from these scams were funneled into 15,000 mule accounts and later used to buy cryptocurrency via a UAE-based payment aggregator.
Following the attack, the ED team approached the local police station, and authorities have launched a manhunt for the suspects involved. Visuals from the scene showed a broken piece of furniture, suggesting a confrontation.
The ED’s efforts were supported by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the Financial Intelligence Unit – India (FIU-IND), which helped analyze thousands of cybercrime reports, uncovering a vast financial laundering network operated by suspicious chartered accountants.
