In a shocking case of cybercrime, an elderly couple from Kolkata's northern suburbs was swindled out of their life savings amounting to nearly Rs 65 lakh. The perpetrators, posing as officers from India's top central investigating agencies, subjected the victims to a terrifying 'digital arrest,' holding them under constant virtual surveillance for weeks.
The Anatomy of a Digital Kidnapping
The nightmare began on November 7 for the 75-year-old retired court clerk and his wife, a former schoolteacher, residing in Kazipara, Nagerbazar, Dum Dum. The man received a phone call from an individual claiming to be an Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer. The caller levelled serious allegations, stating that the couple's Aadhaar and mobile numbers had been misused in illegal financial transactions involving crores of rupees. The fraudster informed them that arrest warrants had already been issued.
To make the threat appear legitimate, the scammers sent forged documents to the victim's phone. These included fake ED letters with official-looking logos and seals. Later, they even shared counterfeit Supreme Court orders and charge sheets bearing bogus Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) stamps. Citing the advanced age of the couple, the fraudsters said they would not be taken to a police station but were instead being placed under 'house arrest.'
Weeks of Psychological Torture and Financial Drain
What followed was over two weeks of intense psychological pressure and virtual imprisonment. The couple was forced to remain on constant WhatsApp video calls, with the fraudsters monitoring their every move. "Even when using the washroom, we had to stay on video call. We were forbidden from stepping outside or allowing visitors and had to seek permission whenever we needed to go out," the elderly man recounted to the police.
Under this sustained duress, the fraudsters demanded money in the name of "cooperation" with the probe, misleadingly describing it as a refundable security deposit. The terrified couple liquidated their lifetime savings. They broke their fixed deposits, sold mutual funds, and emptied their bank accounts. When their cash reserves were exhausted, the scammers allegedly threatened to arrest their daughter, who lives in Delhi. This forced the couple to sell the wife's gold jewellery to arrange more funds.
In total, the victims transferred Rs 64,87,205 in seven instalments via RTGS to accounts specified by the criminals. The relentless harassment and extortion continued until November 29, when the calls abruptly stopped.
Police Investigation and Wider Pattern
Traumatised and financially ruined, the couple finally mustered the courage to approach the Nagerbazar police station on December 28, nearly a month after the ordeal began. The detective wing of the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate has registered a case and initiated a detailed investigation.
A senior officer revealed that preliminary findings suggest several recipient bank accounts used in the scam have suspected foreign links, complicating the probe. This incident has triggered widespread concern in the locality, as it is part of a disturbing spate of similar 'digital arrest' scams recently reported from areas like Dum Dum, North Dum Dum, and Belgharia. Senior citizens are emerging as the primary targets of these sophisticated cyber frauds.
Police have urged the public, especially the elderly, to be extremely cautious of unsolicited calls from individuals claiming to be government or law enforcement officials. They have reiterated that no legitimate agency will demand money over the phone or place citizens under 'digital arrest.' The investigation into this elaborate deception is ongoing.
