A 23-year-old man from Kerala has been arrested for allegedly hacking into sensitive data systems accessible only to law enforcement and telecom agencies. The accused, identified as Joel V Jose, a resident of Kottamukal in Adoor, was taken into custody on Friday by the Pathanamthitta Cyber Police following a tip-off.
The First Information Report (FIR) filed by the police indicates that Joel had been using online tools since February 2025 to illegally obtain the live locations and Call Data Records (CDR) of various individuals. His alleged motive was to make financial gains by circulating this data. The police stated that CDRs and live location data are legally accessible only to police and telecom operators.
Authorities are interrogating Joel to determine his methods and identify the specific websites or systems he breached. According to a senior police officer, the investigation is currently at a critical stage, and further details will be disclosed as they become available.
The FIR against Joel includes charges under the Information Technology Act, specifically Sections 43 (damage to computer system), 66 (computer-related offenses), and 72 (disclosure of confidential information).
This arrest comes on the heels of "Operation Cy-Hunt," a statewide initiative by the Kerala Police targeting organized cyber-financial crimes. On Thursday, authorities arrested 264 individuals and registered 383 cases as part of this operation, which involved raids at over 700 locations and the seizure of 88 devices. The operation aimed to apprehend cyber fraudsters and recover defrauded funds. Those arrested included members of cyber fraud networks, individuals who withdrew defrauded money, and those who rented out their bank accounts for commission.
In a separate case, the Cyber Crime Police Station in Thrissur City uncovered a cybercrime network involved in online transaction fraud. This investigation, connected to FIR No. 19/2024, has revealed links to 501 cases across India. The operation, led by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), resulted in the arrest of four individuals involved in net banking fraud schemes. These individuals exploited technological loopholes to defraud victims and had established inter-state connections. The fraudulent amount associated with these cases is estimated at Rs 17,68,2799.2.
These recent incidents highlight the ongoing challenges and efforts to combat cybercrime in Kerala and across India.
