- The NCCIA arrested 154 people, 112 men and 42 women, at an unregistered Islamabad call centre.
- The FIR alleges victims' phone data was used to send fabricated nude images to their contacts for extortion.
- The court granted three days' physical remand for the men and sent the women to Adiala Jail until Nov 28.
- The court noted that no documents showed the call centre was authorised to operate.
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested 154 people at an Islamabad call centre accused of blackmailing users of online loan apps. According to the FIR, the operation ran like a company, complete with management, team leaders and separate groups for recovery and extortion.
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An Islamabad court heard the case on Saturday. It granted physical remand of the male suspects and sent the women to jail on judicial remand. The NCCIA says the arrests took place at the Islamabad call centre itself.
How the alleged Islamabad call centre scheme worked
The FIR describes a pattern in which a borrower installs a loan app that quietly gains access to the phone's gallery and contacts. Fabricated nude images made from the victim's own pictures are then sent to people in that contact list, and the pressure continues until the victim pays.
The FIR alleges the Islamabad call centre operated under the cover of a legitimate IT business and was run by a four-member top management. Team leaders supervised staff and supplied them with data taken from victims' phones.
Recovery agents allegedly contacted victims through an app called "Cashloan" and accessed their galleries and personal details. That information was passed to a separate group, which allegedly sent the superimposed images to contacts in order to extort money.
In other words, the FIR portrays the Islamabad call centre as a structured operation, with each group handling a different stage of the alleged extortion.
| Group | Number | Remand sought | Court order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 112 | 10 days' physical remand | 3 days' physical remand; to appear again on Nov 17 |
| Women | 42 | 14 days' judicial remand | Judicial remand in Adiala Jail until Nov 28 |
The Islamabad call centre and the case
The FIR names the centre as Born CC / NZ Corporation. It says the centre used the app to recover money on behalf of several international online loan apps, including Rupee Free, Vcash, Wecash, Good life and Power full. It also states that the centre was not registered with any regulatory authority.
The case was registered on Nov 13 at the NCCIA's Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad. The complainant is the State, through Inspector Adeel Ahmed Sheikh, who is also the investigating officer.
The FIR followed a search and seizure during an enquiry, in which digital devices were recovered. It invokes the cyber crime law along with Pakistan Penal Code provisions on cheating and common intention.
Timeline
- Nov 13Case registered at the NCCIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad
- SaturdayAccused produced by video link; court grants remand orders
- Nov 17Men to be produced before the court again
- Nov 28Date until which the women are on judicial remand in Adiala Jail
What the court decided on the Islamabad call centre accused
The suspects appeared by video link before Senior Civil Judge/Judicial Magistrate (West) Malak Aman in two batches: 112 men and 42 women. NCCIA Assistant Director (Legal) Asim Shahjahan also appeared in court.
The investigating officer asked for 10 days' physical remand for the men and 14 days' judicial remand for the women. The court instead allowed three days' physical remand for the men and ordered that they be produced again on Nov 17. The women were sent to Adiala Jail on judicial remand until Nov 28.
In its observations, the court noted that the accused had been arrested at the spot. It found no plausible explanation for their presence in the call centre's operations.
The orders for the Islamabad call centre accused therefore carry two different dates. The men are to be produced again on Nov 17, while the women remain on judicial remand in Adiala Jail until Nov 28.
Questions over Islamabad call centre authorisation
The court also observed that no documentary proof had been placed on record to show the call centre was working with proper authorisation.
The FIR makes a related point, stating that the centre was not registered with any regulatory authority. The court's observation on documents and the FIR's statement on registration both concern whether the Islamabad call centre was authorised to operate.
Explained: what the Islamabad call centre case involves
The NCCIA is the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency. In this case, its Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad registered the FIR on Nov 13, and the State is the complainant.
The allegations centre on loan apps. According to the FIR, the Islamabad call centre used an app to recover money on behalf of several international online loan apps. Recovery agents allegedly accessed victims' galleries and personal details, and a separate group allegedly sent superimposed images to their contacts to extort money.
The structure was allegedly layered. A four-member top management ran the operation, team leaders supervised staff and supplied data from victims' phones, and recovery and extortion were handled by separate groups. The FIR says the operation sat under the cover of a legitimate IT business.
The legal basis is the cyber crime law together with Pakistan Penal Code provisions on cheating and common intention. The FIR followed a search and seizure during an enquiry, and digital devices were recovered.
So far, the court has dealt with custody. It heard the suspects by video link in two batches, granted the men three days' physical remand and sent the women to Adiala Jail on judicial remand.
The men arrested at the Islamabad call centre are due to be produced before the court again on Nov 17, while the women remain in Adiala Jail on judicial remand until Nov 28.
Islamabad call centre case: questions and answers
How many people did the NCCIA arrest?
The NCCIA says 154 people were arrested from the call centre premises in Islamabad: 112 men and 42 women.
What are the accused alleged to have done?
The FIR alleges they used a loan recovery app to access victims' galleries and contacts. It says fabricated nude images were then sent to the victims' contacts to extort money.
What did the court order?
The court granted three days' physical remand for the men, to be produced again on Nov 17. The women were sent to Adiala Jail on judicial remand until Nov 28.
Was the Islamabad call centre registered?
The FIR states that the centre was not registered with any regulatory authority. The court also observed that no documentary proof had been placed on record to show it was working with proper authorisation.
How was the Islamabad call centre allegedly run?
The FIR says it operated under the cover of a legitimate IT business and was run by a four-member top management. Team leaders supervised staff, and recovery and extortion were handled by separate groups.
Which loan apps does the FIR mention?
The FIR says the centre used an app to recover money on behalf of several international online loan apps, including Rupee Free, Vcash, Wecash, Good life and Power full. It names the centre as Born CC / NZ Corporation.
