Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Cyber Command has dismantled a sophisticated "digital arrest" fraud network, arresting six individuals for impersonating senior officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to dupe a 74-year-old woman of Rs 24 crore. Among those arrested are two residents of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, police confirmed on Monday.
Details of the Accused
The arrested individuals have been identified as Palak Patel and Amit Narendra Patel from Ahmedabad (Gujarat), N Sivagnanam from Erode (Tamil Nadu), Akkach Mallick from Mumbai (Maharashtra), Om Prakash Rajput from New Delhi, and Gaurav Kumar from Bihar. Law enforcement officials also seized six mobile phones used in the commission of the crime.
Modus Operandi
According to police, the accused coerced the elderly victim into transferring a staggering Rs 24 crore through 26 separate transactions. These funds were funneled into 23 mule bank accounts spread across 10 different banks nationwide. The fraudulent activity occurred between February 10 and April 24 of this year.
Discovery and Response
The fraud came to light on April 24 when the bank alerted the Cyber Command Unit about suspicious transactions. A police team was immediately dispatched to counsel the victim, successfully preventing further transfers and saving Rs 3 crore.
Following a formal complaint by the elderly woman, the Cyber Command Unit initiated a thorough investigation, tracking the first-layer mule accounts. "The team froze various mule accounts used for layering and laundering the proceeds of crime with the help of the National Cyber Reporting Platform (NCRP) portal, saving over Rs 4 crore and recovering nearly Rs 1.50 crore through court orders," stated Pronab Mohanty, Director General of Police, Cyber Command, Bengaluru.
Understanding Digital Arrest
Digital arrest is an increasingly prevalent form of cybercrime where fraudsters pose as law enforcement officers, court officials, or personnel from government agencies to intimidate victims through audio and video calls. They effectively hold victims hostage, applying psychological pressure to extort money. This case highlights the growing sophistication of such scams and the importance of vigilance among the public.
(With PTI inputs)
