Delhi Police Freeze Crores in Digital Arrest Scam Targeting Senior Citizen
Delhi Police have taken swift action in a major digital arrest fraud case. They have frozen more than Rs 2.89 crore across three bank accounts. These accounts have direct links to a scam that targeted a 70-year-old woman in Greater Kailash.
How the Scam Unfolded
The victim, Meenakshi Ahuja, lives in the W block of GK 1. Fraudsters first contacted her on January 6. They pretended to be officers from the Mumbai Police and the Enforcement Directorate. These criminals told her that a mobile number registered in her name was used for illegal activities. They placed her under a digital arrest that lasted until January 12.
During this period, the elderly woman made three large transactions. The first payment of Rs 4 crore went to an account in Chhattisgarh on January 9. She then transferred Rs 1.3 crore to an account in Kolkata. A final transaction of Rs 1.16 crore reached an account in Delhi.
Police Investigation and Challenges
Investigating officers revealed that the remaining defrauded money has already moved to over 1,000 different mule accounts across India. A senior officer explained the difficulty in recovering these funds. Banks can only freeze money that remains within their systems. Since digital arrests often last several days, initial amounts usually exit the banking network before investigations begin.
Cyber crime experts highlighted the primary channels used to move money internationally. Fraudsters frequently use wallets, cryptocurrency platforms, and hawala networks. Cryptocurrency is often cashed out in source countries like Cambodia and Dubai. Tracking becomes extremely difficult because mule account holders typically know little about the larger operation. They work for commissions and receive instructions through foreign Telegram accounts.
Similar Case in the Same Locality
This incident marks the second major digital arrest scam in Greater Kailash within a week. Earlier, an elderly couple from GK 2 fell victim to a similar fraud. Om Taneja (81) and Indira Taneja (77) lost around Rs 14.85 crore. Scammers posing as Mumbai Police officers placed them under a two-week digital arrest. During this time, they made eight RTGS transfers.
Police involved in that probe believe only Rs 2 crore to Rs 2.5 crore of the defrauded amount remains within the formal banking network. They have frozen funds largely sent to two accounts in Vadodara and Uttarakhand. Investigators suspect most money has moved out of India through crypto or hawala channels. So far, they have traced about Rs 1.9 crore across multiple mule account chains.
The Delhi Police continue their investigation into these sophisticated cyber crimes. They urge citizens, especially senior citizens, to remain vigilant against such fraudulent schemes.
