Cops Seek Extended Custody in Cyber Extortion Case

Hyderabad: Chaitanyapuri police have sought extended custodial interrogation of the prime accused in the Giga AI cyber extortion case, stating that information related to data theft, cryptocurrency trails and international links is yet to be established.

The accused, Sachin Mallik, allegedly accessed and extracted nearly 70 GB of sensitive internal data belonging to Giga AI, including customer call records, internal communications and proprietary information. He later used the stolen data to blackmail the company, sending anonymous emails demanding $3 million in cryptocurrency and threatening to leak the information.

Police told the court that further custody was necessary to recover deleted digital evidence, analyse encrypted devices and trace the crypto wallets mentioned in the extortion emails.

Investigators said Mallik had shared the stolen data with associates abroad, raising concerns that the material could be circulated to competitors or misused further. Police are also probing a coordinated online campaign that amplified threats and referenced a “70 GB destruction stack” on social media to pressure the company into paying the ransom.

Chaitanyapuri SHO K. Saidulu said extended custody was essential to establish the full chain of data theft, trace crypto payments and identify international links. He added that the case highlights growing cyber extortion threats faced by emerging Indian tech companies operating globally.

With the court posting the matter to February 6, investigators indicated that further breakthroughs, additional arrests and possible cross-border legal action could follow as the probe continues.