Mumbai Cyber Police Nab Two in Sophisticated Rs 4.6 Crore Digital Arrest Fraud
In a significant breakthrough, the West Cyber Police in Mumbai have apprehended two individuals linked to a sophisticated financial fraud amounting to a staggering Rs 4.6 crore. The elaborate scam specifically targeted an elderly woman, employing threats of a digital arrest to coerce her into divulging sensitive banking information, ultimately leading to the siphoning of her life savings.
Arrests and Their Role in the Elaborate Scheme
The arrested persons have been identified as Narendra Sinha and Gunjan Dineshchandra. According to police officials, their primary role in this criminal network was to provide their personal bank accounts to the masterminds behind the fraud. These accounts served as crucial conduits for parking the illicitly obtained funds, facilitating the money laundering process and making it harder to trace the stolen money back to its original perpetrators.
Modus Operandi: A Chilling Tale of Deception and Intimidation
The victim, a retired senior officer from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B), fell prey to this scam in October 2025. She received a distressing phone call from an individual posing as an officer from the Delhi Police. The impersonator informed her that her bank accounts were under investigation for alleged links to a money laundering case, creating an atmosphere of fear and urgency.
The fraudster, leveraging this fabricated crisis, demanded her complete bank account details under the false pretense of verification. To allay her suspicions, the caller assured her that the funds would be safely returned once the inquiry was concluded. However, as detailed in the official police complaint, "After the money was transferred to the designated bank accounts, no inquiry took place." The promised investigation was a complete ruse, and the transferred money vanished into the criminal network.
The Growing Threat of Digital Arrest Scams in Urban India
This case highlights the alarming rise of digital arrest scams across major Indian cities, where fraudsters use technology and psychological manipulation to intimidate victims. These criminals often impersonate law enforcement or government officials, exploiting trust and fear to gain access to personal financial information. The Mumbai police have emphasized that such scams frequently target vulnerable demographics, including the elderly, who may be less familiar with digital security protocols.
The arrest of Sinha and Dineshchandra marks a crucial step in dismantling this particular fraud ring. Authorities are continuing their investigation to identify and apprehend the masterminds who orchestrated the scam. This incident serves as a stark reminder for citizens to remain vigilant against unsolicited calls requesting personal or financial details, regardless of the authority the caller claims to represent.
