Two held from Gujarat for duping Delhi senior citizen of Rs 3 lakh in 'digital arrest' scam

New Delhi, Oct 6 (PTI) Two men have been apprehended from Gujarat for allegedly duping a 64-year-old Delhi resident of Rs 3 lakh by posing as a Mumbai Crime Branch officer and placing him under "digital arrest", an official said on Monday.

The accused have been identified as Vala Vishal Bhai (24) and Vaja Hiren (22), both residents of Kodinar in Gujarat, he said.

“The victim, Brahma Singh, a resident of Meet Nagar, received a video call on December 6, 2024, from a man who introduced himself as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) from the Mumbai Crime Branch,” a senior police officer said.

The caller falsely accused Singh of having bank accounts linked to cheating transactions and claimed that his pension account needed to be verified. Under the pretext of verification, the caller allegedly coerced him into transferring Rs 3 lakh, assuring that the money would be refunded after the process, police said.

When no refund was made, Singh realised he had been cheated and lodged a complaint on August 22 this year, following which a case was registered.

Police traced the beneficiary account to Vala Vishal Bhai. The accused was arrested from Gujarat, and during interrogation, he disclosed the involvement of his associate Vaja Hiren, who was later arrested.

Police recovered a mobile phone and SIM card used in the offence.

“The accused had withdrawn the cheated money through cheques and were found to be part of a wider cyber network targeting senior citizens through intimidation and fake verification calls,” a senior officer said.

Further investigation is underway, police added.

Digital arrest is a tactic where cybercriminals confine victims to their homes to scam them. Offenders generate fear by making audio or video calls, frequently posing as law enforcement officers using AI-generated voices or video technology. PTI SSJ SSJ NB NB