Several IPS Officers Under CBI Lens In Igatpuri Fake Call Centre Probe

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According to sources, the names of the officers surfaced during the interrogation of Vishal Yadav, identified as one of the masterminds of the fake call center operation scam and currently lodged in Yerwada jail. Yadav allegedly revealed the investigators that certain promoted IPS officers, elevated from the state cadre provided protection to the call centres in exchange for monthly payments ranging of Rs 50–55 lakh. The CBI reportedly recovered digital evidence linked to commission transactions, and several hawala operators have also been identified in connection with the case.

A top IPS officer of the state police familiar with the investigation acknowledged that informal reports of involvement of certain police officers have surfaced, but stressed that the state police headquarters has not yet received formal communication from the CBI’s Economic Offences Branch (EOB).

“The CBI will not act solely on an accused’s testimony. The agency will first examine the suspected role of officials in maintaining links with the syndicate, its handlers, and the wider protection network, including payment trails, benami transactions, and courier channels, before naming officials formally,” the official, who requested anonymity, told The Free Press Journal.

According to sources, the CBI investigation has revealed that a network of IPS officers, along with Superintendents of Police (SPs) and several junior officers ranging from Police Inspectors (PIs) to Police Sub-Inspectors (PSIs), formed a coordinated battalion that played an active role in providing protection and logistical support to the racket. These officers allegedly acted as intermediaries across Palghar, Mira Road, Navi Mumbai, Raigad, and rural Nashik, handling everything from money transactions to relaying instructions and shielding the syndicate from external scrutiny. In some cases, other agencies preparing to raid suspected call centres allegedly found their operations compromised, with officers tipping off operators, enabling them to suspend activity temporarily or relocate to another region, allowing the racket to resume operations under the protection of a different set of officials.

Sources say a key aspect of the case is that officers from senior IPS ranks down to constables were allegedly involved in a coordinated, corporate-style structure. The network reportedly maintained an internal “crisis management team,” led by SP-rank officers and extending to local crime branch units and station-level officials. This structure is alleged to have ensured rapid responses to enforcement actions, helping safeguard the multi-crore operation.

Vishal Yadav, along with five other accused, was arrested by the CBI on August 8. Yadav is identified as one of the masterminds, while co-accused Sandeep Singh remains absconding. Singh was earlier arrested by the Alibaug Police in a similar illegal call centre case and had been out on bail. During a CBI search of Yadav’s Goregaon residence on August 9, officials recovered approximately Rs 1.2 crore in cash and 600 grams of gold jewellery. Officials confirmed that Yadav had parked the illegally extorted money in Mumbai and other locations through mule accounts, cryptocurrency, and cash. They also noted that this is not the first time Yadav has been involved in such illegal activities, indicating a pattern of organized cyber fraud operations.

Investigation reveals that Yadav is in contact with other key co-accused who finance and manage the call centre. In a criminal conspiracy with Sandeep Singh and others, he ran the illegal Igatpuri call centre, impersonating Amazon support staff to make phishing and deceptive calls that defrauded foreign nationals. Yadav reportedly provided all logistical support and recruited operators, including dialers, verifiers, and closers, while Singh played a central role in financing and coordinating operations. Investigators allege that both were assisted by unknown public servants in banks to open and operate mule accounts. Approximately 100 technical devices, including laptops, mobiles, and network equipment, were reportedly provided by Yadav and Singh.

The investigation into Yadav and Singh has also cast a spotlight on the alleged involvement of IPS officers in shielding the syndicate. Investigators have revealed that the syndicate allegedly routed protection money to IPS officers, from senior ranks down to lower-level officials, through angadiya networks. These informal couriers ensured that funds collected from the call centre operations reached the officers who were reportedly providing protection and shielding the racket from enforcement actions. Investigators are now examining these channels to establish the full extent of the alleged financial linkages between the syndicate and the police network.

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Explaining the procedure, the official added that once the DG office establishment receives formal communication from the CBI, the case would then be handed over to the state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for investigation.

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