In a shocking case that highlights the growing sophistication of cyber criminals, a 75-year-old retired Food and Safety Department officer from Lucknow fell victim to a elaborate digital arrest scam, losing a staggering ₹27 lakh to fraudsters impersonating anti-terrorism officials.
The Terrifying Ordeal Begins
The nightmare for the Jankipuram resident began on November 7 when he received a call from someone claiming to be an officer of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The caller made frightening allegations, accusing the senior citizen of involvement in a terror conspiracy linked to the Pahalgam attack.
The fraudster told the terrified victim that he had allegedly financed terrorists with ₹70 crore and personally received a ₹70 lakh commission. To make the threat more credible, the scammer claimed that an arrest warrant had already been issued against him.
Two Days of Digital Captivity
What followed was a sophisticated form of psychological manipulation known as digital arrest. The fraudster forced the victim into continuous video calls and instructed him not to hang up, leave his home, or inform anyone about the situation.
Under sustained psychological pressure that lasted for an entire day, the retired officer was manipulated into believing that transferring money immediately was his only way to avoid arrest. The scammer used multiple phone numbers to maintain the illusion of legitimacy and keep the victim under digital surveillance for two full days.
The Financial Damage and Police Response
The victim ultimately transferred ₹10 lakh on November 10 followed by another ₹17 lakh on November 11, draining his life savings in the process. It was only after the transactions were completed that he realized he had been trapped in an elaborate digital arrest racket.
The victim approached the Cyber Crime Police Station in Vibhuti Khand on November 27, where he filed a formal complaint. The FIR came to light recently, and police have confirmed that a case will be registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
SHO Brijesh Singh Yadav of the Cyber Cell stated that investigators are actively working on the case, tracing the bank account beneficiaries and phone numbers used by the fraudsters. This case represents one of the many sophisticated digital arrest scams targeting vulnerable citizens across India.
