Kasaragod Cyber Fraud Case

Antony Vincent, a native of Anikkad, Kottayam, was arrested by the Kasaragod Cyber Crime Police in Thenmala, Kollam, for defrauding a woman from Uduma, Kasaragod, of ₹13,16,731. The fraud took place between September 17, 2025, and January 2, 2026. The accused befriended the woman—who was living separated from her husband—on Facebook before moving communications to WhatsApp. Gaining her trust, Antony falsely claimed he could fast-track her divorce through the High Court and resolve her domestic and life struggles by performing specialized religious rituals (poojas). Over several months, he coerced her into transferring funds across multiple bank accounts. Realizing she had been scammed, the victim lodged a formal complaint with the Kasaragod Cyber Crime Police Station, leading to an investigation headed by Inspector P. Nalinakshan and SI Savyasachi. 

Action to be Taken 

To address the Kasaragod cyber fraud case, the key actions to be taken by law enforcement and judicial authorities include producing the arrested suspect, Antony Vincent, before the jurisdictional magistrate to secure judicial remand and police custody for further interrogation; initiating immediate freezing orders on all bank accounts used in the transfers to trace and recover the defrauded ₹13.16 lakh; sending confiscated smartphones and SIM cards for digital forensic extraction of Facebook and WhatsApp communications to assemble a complete charge sheet; and probing whether the accused operated similar fraudulent schemes targeting other victims across the state. 

📰 Source: manorama (English)