- Friday, March 21, 2025
The accused had forced the victim to stay at home for two months and checked her location daily by calling her every three hours
By: India Weekly
AN 86-YEAR-OLD woman from south Mumbai lost more than ₹200 million (£1.79m) of her savings over two months to a ‘digital arrest’ fraud, police said on Thursday (20).
One of the fraudsters posed as a ‘CBI officer’ to extort money from the woman, they said, adding three people have been arrested in connection with the crime which took place between December 26, 2024 and March 3 this year.
The accused had also forced the victim to stay at home for two months and checked her location daily by calling her every three hours, an official said.
The cyber police have managed to freeze ₹7.7 million (£68,841.20) belonging to the woman by identifying the bank accounts to which the money was transferred, he added.
‘Digital arrest’ is a new and growing form of cyber fraud in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement officials or personnel of government agencies, and intimidate victims through audio/video calls.
They hold the victims hostage and put pressure on the victims to make payment.
In his radio broadcast last October, prime minister Narendra Modi warned people to be vigilant and observed that Indians have emptied their bank accounts “out of sheer fear”.
As per the police complaint filed by the woman earlier this month, she had received a call from a man, who claimed to be a CBI officer, and told her that based on her Aadhaar card, a bank account was opened which was used for money laundering.
The man then told her that the case was being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and she should stay in her room, while threatening her with “digital arrest“.
He also threatened to arrest her children, the official said.
The woman’s domestic help observed a change in her behaviour, as she used to remain confined to her room and come out only to have food.
The maid then informed the woman’s daughter, he said.
The fraudsters asked the elderly woman to share with them her bank details under the pretext of verifying funds of her account which were connected to criminal activity, the official said.
They allegedly extorted ₹202.6 million (£1.81m) from her over a period of two months, citing various reasons including clearing her name from the “case” and court fees, he said.
The fraudsters promised to refund the amount after completion of the “probe”, the official said.
While investigating the case, the cyber police found the money was transferred to various bank accounts, including one of Shayan Jamil Shaikh (20), a Mumbai resident, he said.
The police said ₹499,000 (£4,461.81) was transferred to Shaikh’s account, which he had withdrawn and handed over to another fraudster.
The cyber police recently tracked down Shaikh and after his arrest and interrogation, they also nabbed another accused Razique Azan Butt (20), a resident of Thane district, the official said.
The police on Wednesday identified one more accused, Hritik Shekhar Thakur (25), a resident of Mumbai suburb Andheri, in whose account ₹900,000 (£8,047.35) was transferred, and arrested him late night, he said.
Thakur has admitted to the withdrawal of the above amount from his account, which was transferred by his aides after duping the woman, the official said.
The cyber police suspect Butt was part of an international racket of cyber fraudsters, he said.
They have also identified two more accused to whom notices have been issued under Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita section 35 (when police may arrest without warrant), the official said. (PTI)
