2 members of gang held from Gujarat for duping people through 'digital arrest'

Indore, Nov 20 (PTI) Police have arrested two members of a gang from Gujarat for duping people by intimidating them under the pretext of "digital arrest", an official said on Wednesday.

'Digital arrest' is a new and growing form of cyber fraud in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement officials or personnel of government agencies, and intimidate victims through audio/video calls. They hold the victims hostage and put pressure on the victims to make payment.

"The arrested accused have been identified as Himmat Dewani (58), a resident of Surat, and Atul Giri Goswami (46) from Kutch," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotiya said.

Both the accused used to provide bank accounts to a gang for cyber fraud, he said, adding that the police have frozen transactions through 23 bank accounts linked to this gang's fraud.

A 70-year-old man from Indore was among the victims from different states who were trapped by the gang under digital arrest. He was duped of Rs 40.70 lakh, the police official said.

Dandotiya said the gang leader and its other members were being identified through detailed interrogation of the two accused. PTI HWP MAS NP