Three Individuals Arrested in Major Digital Arrest Scam Case
Delhi police have made significant progress in a high-profile cybercrime case. Authorities arrested three people for their involvement in cheating an elderly NRI doctor couple of nearly Rs 15 crore through a sophisticated digital arrest scheme.
Details of the Arrests and Accused
Police identified the arrested individuals as Divyang Patel and Krutik Shitoli from Vadodara, Gujarat, along with KS Tiwari from Prayagraj. Two of these arrests occurred in Vadodara, while the third took place in Prayagraj.
Investigators revealed that Divyang Patel operated a non-governmental organization in Vadodara. He allegedly opened a bank account under his NGO's name specifically for fraudulent purposes. Approximately Rs 4 crore from the scam found its way into this account. Police sources indicate Patel knowingly permitted fraudsters to use his bank account in exchange for a commission.
Krutik Shitoli played a different role in the criminal operation. He acted as a facilitator who arranged and collected bank accounts for the scam network. The third accused, KS Tiwari, provided another bank account that received about Rs 2 crore of the stolen money.
The Digital Arrest and Financial Transactions
The victims, Dr Indra Taneja (77) and her 81-year-old husband Dr Om Taneja, experienced a terrifying ordeal. Scammers posing as police officers subjected them to digital arrest from December 24 last year through January 9. The fraudsters claimed over twenty complaints had been filed against the couple for circulating obscene videos and involvement in money laundering.
Financial investigators traced a complex web of transactions involving the stolen Rs 14.85 crore. The largest single transfer of Rs 4 crore went to a bank account in Vadodara, Gujarat. Police managed to freeze Rs 2.10 crore of the total amount during their investigation.
Detailed transaction records show money moving across India:
- December 26, 2025: Rs 1.99 crore transferred to Jalukbari in Guwahati, Assam
- December 29 and 30: Two separate transfers of Rs 2 crore each to Sama Savli in Vadodara
- January 2: Rs 2 crore routed to Mayur Vihar Phase III in east Delhi
- January 5: Rs 2.05 crore transferred to Nepean Sea Road in Mumbai
- January 6: Rs 2.1 crore sent to Wazidpur in Uttar Pradesh
- January 8: Rs 2.2 crore transferred to Moulali in Kolkata
- January 9: Rs 50 lakh moved to Belada in Uttarakhand
Police sources noted these accounts were registered under various business names including charitable foundations, chemical trading companies, recruitment firms, and tour and travel businesses.
International Connections and Victim Background
Authorities are actively investigating potential links between the arrested individuals and scam networks based in China and Cambodia. This international dimension adds complexity to the case.
The victim couple spent more than four decades living in the United States before returning to India. Dr Indra Taneja worked as a professor and doctor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry, while her husband served with both the United Nations and the US federal government during his career.
This case highlights the growing threat of sophisticated cybercrime targeting elderly and vulnerable individuals, even those with substantial international experience. Delhi police continue their investigation to identify additional participants in this elaborate fraud scheme.
