Ahmedabad, June 22 (IANS) When the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch dismantled one of India’s largest alleged “digital arrest” fraud networks in 2024, arresting 17 accused, including four Taiwanese nationals, the investigation not only exposed the growing sophistication of transnational cybercrime but also laid the foundation for a book on modern cybercrime investigations.
The case, which gained national attention and was later referenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, prompted Ahmedabad Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sharad Singhal and his colleagues to begin documenting lessons from major cybercrime investigations, emerging fraud trends and evolving investigative techniques.
The result was ‘Cyber Trails: Unmasking Digital Crimes’, a publication unveiled last week alongside ‘NDPS Investigation and Procedure (Ready Reckoner)’ under the guidance of the Gujarat Director General of Police and Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik, with Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi formally releasing the two books.
Together, the books reflect an effort by senior police officers to document investigative practices in two areas that law enforcement increasingly considers among its most challenging: cybercrime and narcotics offences.
Singhal, who co-authored both books, said the cybercrime volume emerged from a desire to preserve investigative knowledge that often remains confined to individual case files.
“Nobody knows after two years how we detected the case, how we did the charge sheet, what tools were used and how criminals had access to the database. We should have more documentation,” Singhal said in an interview with IANS.
The 403-page ‘Cyber Trails’, co-authored with Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crime) Dr Lavina Sinha and Assistant Commissioner of Police Hardik Makadia, covers a broad range of topics including social media monitoring, digital forensics, cryptocurrency investigations, dark web activity, financial frauds, open-source intelligence (OSINT), mobile and cloud forensics, email investigations and digital hygiene.
According to Singhal, the book differs from many existing publications because it is rooted in actual investigations rather than purely academic or theoretical discussions.
“This is the book in which we have case studies from real-time investigations. When we caught the gang and how we investigated, we included those learnings. There are a lot of references as well,” he told IANS.
The authors drew from cases investigated not only by Ahmedabad Police but also by cybercrime units in other cities.
However, Singhal noted that certain operational details were intentionally omitted. “We have not put all the procedures in place otherwise, criminals will read and know what our capabilities are,” he said.
The book includes chapters on digital arrest scams, one of the fastest-growing categories of cyber fraud in recent years. “The victims are often senior citizens who are manipulated through fear and deception,” he noted.
Other chapters examine emerging threats such as cryptocurrency-based laundering, fake investment schemes, social media exploitation and online financial frauds.
One case highlighted by Singhal involved fraudsters targeting parents of students preparing for medical entrance examinations.
According to him, scammers falsely claimed on Telegram groups that they possessed question papers for the recently concluded NEET-UG re-examination and used fabricated success stories to convince victims to pay amounts ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 80,000 before disappearing.
“They did not have any paper with them, but they were showing on Telegram that they had a paper. Once payment is made, they wash out,” he said.
The book also devotes significant attention to digital hygiene and online safety. Singhal argued that smartphones have fundamentally transformed daily life and have become indispensable tools for communication, payments, shopping and social interaction.
“You can live without other things, but you cannot live without the mobile,” he said. At the same time, he warned that users often expose excessive personal information online, making themselves vulnerable to cybercriminals.
He pointed to fake profiles, spyware, malicious APK files disguised as greeting cards or invitations, and the misuse of personal data shared on social media platforms.
“By just one click, you can lose your precious money in less than a minute,” he said. The authors also dedicated chapters to OSINT tools, which Singhal described as “valuable resources” for investigators.
While many advanced tools require paid subscriptions, he said numerous free tools can assist investigators in analysing digital evidence, conducting forensic examinations and tracing online activities.
“There are so many OSINT tools which are aiding our investigations. Very few field officers know that these types of tools are available,” he said.
While ‘Cyber Trails’ targets both law enforcement personnel and the public, the second publication, ‘NDPS Investigation and Procedure’, is primarily intended as an operational guide for investigators handling narcotics cases.
Co-authored with DCP (Special Operations Group) Rahul Tripathi, the book was developed against the backdrop of growing concerns over drug trafficking and the need for stronger investigations under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
Singhal explained that NDPS investigations are highly procedure-driven and require investigating officers to comply with extensive legal safeguards. “NDPS Act specifies that there are 21 checklists which every investigating officer has to do for making a case,” he said.
The book explains how officers should document intelligence inputs, obtain permissions before raids, conduct searches, coordinate with forensic laboratories, prepare evidence and comply with legal requirements that are frequently scrutinised in court.
Each section also includes relevant judicial precedents and practical guidance aimed at helping officers build legally sustainable cases.
A distinctive feature of the NDPS publication is its ready reckoner format. The book contains forms, checklists and procedural guidance for actions such as freezing bank accounts, attaching properties and filing documents before courts.
“If you want to freeze the property, how to freeze, what are the checklists, what are the forms we have to fill and submit to the court… we have made forms available and put them in the book itself,” Singhal told IANS.
Another objective was to make specialised knowledge accessible in Gujarati, a language in which relatively few policing manuals are available. “A lot of books are available in English, but very few in Gujarati. We thought it better to publish it in Gujarati,” he said.
Both books were the result of roughly a year of work, including drafting, collaboration and multiple rounds of proofreading. Singhal said the authors divided chapters according to their areas of expertise.
He personally worked on sections related to digital forensics and cybercrime investigations, while Dr Sinha contributed chapters on social media monitoring and the dark web, and Makadia focused on cryptocurrency investigations.
Despite the demands of policing, Singhal said he dedicated time each week to writing and research. “I dedicated one hour late at night to ensure that at least four hours per week I would give to my book. That helps me not only in writing, but I also have to read a lot,” he said.
For Singhal, the publications are ultimately aimed at addressing a broader shift in crime patterns. While traditional offences remain important, he believes cybercrime now represents one of the most significant challenges facing law enforcement agencies.
“Everybody is mastered in property offences and physical offences. But now cybercrime is increasing. We need trained staff in police stations,” he emphasised.
As digital technologies continue to evolve, the authors hope the books will serve both as investigative resources and as guides for citizens seeking to navigate an increasingly complex online world.
Whether examining the mechanics of a cryptocurrency scam, the investigation of a dark web network, the freezing of assets in a narcotics case or the simple precautions required to stay safe online, the publications attempt to translate operational experience into lessons that can be applied beyond the case files from which they originated.
–IANS
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