'Digital arrest' scam mastermind held by Goa cops

Panaji, Aug 17 (PTI) The Goa Cyber Crime Police have arrested the alleged mastermind behind a Rs 1 crore "digital arrest" scam, upon his arrival at Delhi airport from Singapore, an officer said on Sunday.

He was taken into custody on August 15 and remanded to five days of police custody, according to Superintendent of Police (Cyber Crime) Rahul Gupta.

The accused Anil Tripathi, a resident of Marina Bay Financial Centre in Singapore, is the seventh person arrested in connection with the case registered in December 2024 at Marna, Siolim (North Goa), said Gupta.

The scam involved a fraudster impersonating a Delhi Crime Branch officer on WhatsApp and coercing a woman into believing she was involved in a police case.

The accused allegedly sent forged Supreme Court documents and forced the victim to transfer Rs 1 crore through multiple transactions into three different bank accounts, police said.

"Tripathi was tracked through technical and financial analysis, as well as the interrogation of previously arrested suspects. A Look Out Circular had been issued, leading to his detention at Delhi airport and subsequent transit to Goa," said Gupta.

Investigators claimed that Tripathi is a repeat offender. He was previously arrested in Singapore for a fake tech support scam amounting to USD 64,000, in which he funnelled about USD 15,000 into his Indian bank accounts from a senior Singaporean citizen.

The current case is registered under Sections 318, 319(2), and 336(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 66-D of the Information Technology Act. PTI RPS NSK