Retired Aligarh Officer and Wife Lose Life Savings in Sophisticated 'Digital Arrest' Cyber Fraud
In a distressing incident highlighting the growing threat of cybercrime, a retired district agriculture officer and his wife from Aligarh were defrauded of their entire life savings amounting to Rs 42 lakh. The elaborate scam, described as a 'digital arrest,' involved fraudsters posing as telecom department officials and police officers who subjected the elderly couple to sustained psychological pressure over 18 days.
Chronology of a Calculated Cyber Attack
The ordeal began on January 10 when 70-year-old Nathhi Lal Sharma received the first contact from individuals claiming to be officials from the Delhi telecom department and police. The scammers, identifying themselves as Sunil Kumar Gautam and Rajesh Pradhan, falsely informed Sharma that a money-laundering case had been registered against him and that Rs 70 lakh had been deposited in his account.
The psychological manipulation was systematic and relentless. The fraudsters extracted detailed information about Sharma's fixed deposits and savings accounts while issuing stern warnings against sharing the matter with anyone, threatening imprisonment if he disobeyed. They established a pattern of control by instructing Sharma to give a missed call every hour from Gautam's number and remain available for video calls every morning and evening.
The Final Act of Financial Extraction
On January 28, the scheme escalated when Gautam connected Sharma via video call to a man identifying himself as CBI team leader Pradeep Singh, who claimed involvement of RBI and court teams. Under this intense pressure, Sharma transferred Rs 14 lakh from his Central Bank account in Naurangabad via RTGS, followed by another Rs 28 lakh.
Sharma described being kept "captive" on the phone for nearly four hours initially and facing continuous threats throughout the 18-day period. "On February 4, under extreme pressure, I transferred Rs 42 lakh, my entire life savings, from my two bank accounts," he revealed in his statement.
Police Response and Investigation Progress
Following Sharma's formal complaint, authorities registered a case at the cyber police station under Section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act. The incident occurred just days after Aligarh police had busted an international cybercrime racket, highlighting the persistent nature of such threats.
Mahesh Kumar Tyagi, in-charge of the Aligarh cyber police station, stated, "We are obtaining details of the bank account to which the money was transferred so we can trace the accused. Further investigation is ongoing, and appropriate action will be taken accordingly."
Profile of the Victims
Nathhi Lal Sharma, who retired from service in 2016, and his 65-year-old wife represent vulnerable targets for such sophisticated scams. The couple, who have four children, had accumulated their savings over a lifetime of work, making the financial loss particularly devastating.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the evolving tactics employed by cyber criminals who specifically target elderly citizens through psychological manipulation and false authority claims. The 'digital arrest' methodology represents a particularly insidious form of cyber fraud that leverages fear and compliance through sustained communication pressure.
