Retired Officer In Pune Dies Of Shock After Rs 1.2 Crore Digital Arrest Fraud

An 82-year-old retired state government officer from Pune collapsed and died of shock after discovering that he and his 80-year-old wife had been duped of Rs 1.19 crore in a "digital arrest" scam. 

The fraud was carried out between August 16 and September 17 by conmen posing as Mumbai Cyber Police and CBI officials.

The couple, who have three daughters settled abroad, were tricked into believing they were under investigation for money laundering and were kept under "digital arrest" for three days.

The victim's wife filed a complaint on Tuesday after police verified her grievance application. She told investigators that her husband had been under immense mental pressure following the loss of their life savings and the relentless harassment by the fraudsters.

According to the FIR, the man collapsed at home on October 22 and was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead. Police said he had been "deeply disturbed" by the ordeal.

How The Fraud Happened

The scam began on August 16, when the elderly man received a call from someone claiming to be an "encounter specialist" with the Mumbai Police. The caller told him that his bank account and Aadhaar details had been misused in a money-laundering case involving a private airline.

Senior Inspector Swapnali Shinde of Pune Cyber Police said, "The victim subsequently received a call from another fraudster claiming to be an IPS officer from the CBI's Delhi office. The caller said the couple were involved in a money-laundering case and would be placed under 'home arrest' or 'jail arrest'."

The fraudsters instructed the man to keep his phone camera switched on, effectively keeping the couple under "digital arrest" for three days. During that time, they extracted all their bank and Aadhaar details and coerced them into transferring money into five different bank accounts.

By the end of the ordeal, the scammers had drained the couple's savings, including funds their daughters had sent from abroad. When the calls suddenly stopped, the couple realised they had been duped and contacted one of their daughters, who urged them to report the crime to the police.

Cybercrime Experts Warn

Cybercrime investigator Rohan Nyayadhish told NDTV that people must understand that no one can be "arrested" over a phone call. He emphasised that no authority has the right to demand personal details or money in such situations.

"People need to know that no one can arrest them over phone calls. No one has the right to demand credentials or money. Always verify such calls with local police before reacting."

He added, "Fraudsters are operating from smaller cities using SIM cards and VPN networks to mask their identity. Citizens must be alert and not panic."