Cyber sextortion racket: How MP gang used WhatsApp to extort crores; 20 arrested, 12 absconding as police launch Operation Matrix

(AI generated image)

• 20-member sextortion gang busted in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri
• Police seized assets worth Rs 1.07 crore in Operation Matrix
• 20 arrested; police warn against unknown video calls

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Cyber sextortion racket busted under  Operation Matrix: A 20-member inter-state gang running a sophisticated sextortion and digital arrest racket from Shivpuri district in Madhya Pradesh has been busted, with police seizing assets worth Rs 1.07 crore in what has been named 'Operation Matrix'.

PTI quoted Superintendent of Police Aman Singh Rathore confirming that arrests were made on Saturday. He stated that nine special teams conducted simultaneous raids across Karera, Bhonti and Pichhore areas of Shivpuri district, acting on directions from Gwalior zone Inspector General Arvind Kumar Saxena and Deputy Inspector General Amit Sanghi.

How the racket worked

The gang's methods were calculated and layered. Members created fake WhatsApp accounts impersonating women and used dating and chatting applications to lure unsuspecting victims into obscene chats and video recordings. Once they had compromising material, the accused pivoted to a second phase of the con — posing as police officers and threatening victims with fabricated cases of rape and child pornography unless money was paid.

Howa arrests were made and what police found

Four FIRs registered in the past week named 32 accused in total. Of these, 20 have been arrested so far, with 12 members still absconding. Those in custody include Angad Lodhi, Vishal Lodhi, Sukhdev, Arjun and Deepak Prajapati, among others. Most of the accused hail from the Shivpuri and Jhansi regions.

During the raids, police recovered seven four-wheelers, 29 smartphones, Rs 1.20 lakh in cash, ATM cards and bank passbooks — with the total value of seized property estimated at Rs 1.07 crore.

Police issues alert

Rathore urged residents to exercise caution, advising against answering video calls from unknown numbers.

Anyone receiving a "digital arrest" threat should contact local police or the cyber helpline immediately, he said.