A 27-year-old man has been apprehended in Gujarat for digital arrest scam and defrauding a 76-year-old retired Air Force officer in New Town of ₹1.7 crore by instilling fear of a “digital arrest.” The elderly victim was held for 72 hours via video call. Police reported that ₹15 lakh of the stolen funds has been recovered.
According to Bidhannagar Police, the incident began when the victim received a call from an unknown number. The caller, claiming to be an official from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), warned him that his mobile number would be blocked within two hours and he will be in digital arrest.
“After convincing the complainant that his mobile phone was about to be blocked, the call was forwarded to another person who said he was from the Bombay Andheri police station,” said an officer.
This person informed the victim that he was implicated in a money laundering case and that an arrest warrant was pending against him.
“The complainant was convinced that there was a police case pending against him. To add to his fright, the fraudsters started sending him forged legal documents declaring his digital arrest over the phone,” the officer said.
Believing he was in legal trouble, the victim was further intimidated by receiving fake legal documents that indicated his digital arrest. Fearing imminent arrest, the elderly man began transferring money to accounts provided by the scammers, thinking it would resolve his situation.
In total, he transferred ₹1,74,10,500 through four transactions after liquidating his bank fixed deposits. Eventually, he recognized the scam and reported it to the cyber police station of Bidhannagar city.
During the investigation, authorities discovered that the suspect had purchased gold worth ₹25 lakh with part of the stolen money. The police tracked him through the bank account and phone number linked to the fraud and arrested him in Surat, Gujarat, on February 23.
The individual has been identified by the police as Gondaliya Dipen Vinodbhai, a 27-year-old from Jahangirpura, Surat.
The mobile phone that was allegedly used for the “operation” and the debit cards used for making the online purchases from the siphoned money have been seized from him, the police said.
Vinodbhai is currently in police custody for an eight-day period. Investigators report that they have successfully frozen ₹15 lakh across various bank accounts, which are suspected to be linked to the criminal activities.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News LinkedIn Account | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Facebook | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Youtube | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Twitter
About us:
The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News is a premier platform dedicated to delivering latest news, updates, and insights from the tech industry. With its strong foundation of intellectual property and thought leadership, the platform is well-positioned to stay ahead of the curve and lead conversations about how technology shapes our world. From its early days as CIO News to its rebranding as The Mainstream on November 28, 2024, it has been expanding its global reach, targeting key markets in the Middle East & Africa, ASEAN, the USA, and the UK. The Mainstream is a vision to put technology at the center of every conversation, inspiring professionals and organizations to embrace the future of tech.
