Agra Cyber Gang Orchestrates 'Digital Arrest' of 75-Year-Old Mathura Woman, Siphons Rs 2 Crore
In a shocking case of cyber fraud emerging from Agra, a six-member criminal gang used a Hong Kong-based phone number to target a 75-year-old woman in Mathura, placing her under what police term a 'digital arrest' for nearly a fortnight. The gang allegedly convinced the elderly victim that her Aadhaar card had been hacked and her bank accounts were being misused for terrorist activities, threatening that her son working in London would be arrested by Interpol if she did not comply.
Gang Exploits Fear to Extract Bank Details and Rs 2 Crore
Operating with calculated precision, the fraudsters sought detailed information about the woman's bank accounts under the guise of resolving the supposed security breach. Exploiting her fear and confusion, they then proceeded to siphon off a staggering Rs 2 crore from her savings. The victim's ordeal was compounded by personal tragedy, as her husband, a cancer patient, had passed away earlier in January, according to an officer from the cyber cell who also noted her son is employed at a firm in London.
Cyber Police Crack Down, Arrest Five from Agra and Rajasthan
On Thursday, a dedicated cyber police team took decisive action, arresting five individuals—one woman and four men—from the UP highway in Mathura district. Four of the arrested hail from Agra, while one belongs to Phalodi district in Rajasthan. The mastermind of the operation, identified as MD Vishnoi, remains at large and is currently on the run.
Superintendent of Police (Crime) Avnish Kumar Mishra stated, 'A thorough investigation was carried out following her complaint at a cyber police station in Mathura in December, and members of the cyber fraud gang were subsequently identified over the next few days.' An FIR has been registered against the accused under BNS section 318 (4) for cheating and dishonesty and section 66-D of the IT Act.
Investigation Reveals Widespread Fraud Network
During interrogation, police uncovered that the arrested woman lived with the other accused, and her bank account was frequently used to avoid suspicion and launder the illicit funds. When authorities cross-referenced the gang's bank accounts with cyber fraud complaints registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), they discovered over a dozen complaints linked to these accounts.
SP Mishra added, 'The accused told cops about their involvement in similar cases of ‘digital arrest' for around two years,' indicating a prolonged and systematic operation targeting vulnerable individuals across the region.
Seizures and Identities of the Arrested
Police have seized significant evidence from the arrested individuals, including:
- Nine mobile phones and SIM cards
- Nine ATM cards
- Three PAN cards
- Two Aadhaar cards
- Eleven bank passbooks
The arrested have been identified as:
- Ramesh alias Ram Vishnoi, 22, from Phalodi district, Rajasthan
- Rahul Maglani, 22, from Agra
- Lakshya Agarwal, 20, from Agra
- Puneet Solaki, 29, from Agra
- The woman accomplice, whose details were used to facilitate the fraud
This case highlights the growing menace of sophisticated cyber fraud in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in the Agra-Mathura belt, where criminals are exploiting digital tools and psychological manipulation to commit large-scale financial crimes. Authorities continue their hunt for the main accused while urging the public to remain vigilant against such 'digital arrest' scams.
