Digital Arrest Scam: Retired Judge Loses ₹1.66 Crore

Malkajgiri Cybercrime Police Register Case in Digital Arrest Fraud

Cybercrime police in Malkajgiri have registered a case after fraudsters allegedly cheated a retired judge of ₹1.66 crore through a digital arrest scam in Hyderabad. The accused reportedly impersonated officials from central investigative agencies and used threats of legal action to extract money.

The incident highlights the growing use of “digital arrest” tactics by cybercriminals who pose as law enforcement officers to intimidate victims and gain access to their financial accounts.

Fraudsters Pose as CBI Officials

According to police, the retired judge, a resident of Neredmet, received a phone call on February 23 from a person claiming to be a senior CBI officer named Deepak Kumar.

The caller alleged that the victim was involved in a human trafficking case and that a non-bailable warrant had been issued against him by the Supreme Court.

The caller further claimed that the victim had been using two mobile phones and had spoken inappropriately with a woman from one of the numbers. He told the victim that a case had been registered at Indiranagar Police Station in Bengaluru.

Video Call Used to Intensify Threat

Soon after the initial call, the victim received a video call from another individual who introduced himself as Circle Inspector Gaurav Sarathi.

During the call, the caller repeated the allegation that the victim was facing a human trafficking case and said a Supreme Court non-bailable warrant had been issued.

The caller also suggested that the victim’s Aadhaar number might have been misused by someone else to obtain a SIM card and commit illegal activities.

Victim Pressured to Cooperate With “Investigation”

The fraudsters then instructed the victim to write a letter stating that his Aadhaar card had been misused and that he would fully cooperate with the investigation.

He was also warned not to share the matter with family members.

Later, a woman claiming to be a senior CBI officer, Archana Ramasundaram, appeared on another video call. She displayed a letter bearing the Supreme Court emblem and told the victim that he was involved in serious cases, including human trafficking, money laundering, and identity theft.

₹1.66 Crore Transferred From Bank Accounts

The accused told the victim that financial account details were required for verification and that authorities needed to assess his bank accounts.

Believing the claims, the victim shared details of his accounts. During the process, the cybercriminals managed to siphon off ₹1.66 crore from funds that had been kept in the bank for assessment purposes.

The victim later realized he had been cheated and informed family members and friends.

Police Begin Investigation

Following the complaint, the victim approached the police. Malkajgiri Cybercrime Police registered a case and began an investigation into the digital arrest fraud.

Officials said efforts are underway to trace the accused and recover the stolen funds.

Authorities have repeatedly warned the public to remain cautious about calls from individuals claiming to be law enforcement officers and demanding financial details.