E-Paper
Chandigarh: Another accused nabbed in ₹85L ‘digital arrest’ case
The accused has been identified as Sibgathulla Baig alias Syed, 28, a resident of the Neelasandra area in Bengaluru, Karnataka
The UT cyber police have arrested a second accused in a ₹85 lakh “digital arrest” case in which a Chandigarh resident was duped by callers posing as government and bank officials.
The accused has been identified as Sibgathulla Baig alias Syed, 28, a resident of the Neelasandra area in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He was arrested during a raid conducted with the assistance of local police in Bengaluru.
According to police, the complainant had received multiple calls from unknown persons who claimed to be officials of the Telecom Authority of India, ICICI Bank and the vigilance department. The callers threatened him with a fake “digital arrest” in a fabricated money-laundering case and persuaded him to pay up to avoid legal action.
Fearing arrest and believing the callers to be genuine officials, the complainant transferred a total of ₹85 lakh on several occasions into different bank accounts as instructed.
During investigation, an analysis of the money trail revealed that a portion of the defrauded amount was credited to an Axis Bank account in the name of SK Collection, owned by Baig. The mobile number linked to the account was also found registered in his name. Based on technical evidence, KYC documents and location tracking, the police team conducted the raid and arrested him.
During interrogation, the accused disclosed that he had shared his bank account details with an unknown person via the Telegram app, who promised him a 50% commission on transactions. He admitted receiving ₹30,000 as commission, which he withdrew and spent. He claimed he realised the fraudulent nature of the transactions only after being informed by bank officials.
Police recovered a Samsung mobile phone with a SIM card and a cheque book of the Axis Bank account from the accused. Further interrogation is underway to trace the complete modus operandi of the gang and identify other co-accused involved in the organised cyber fraud.
A word of caution
Police issued an advisory clarifying that no police, CBI or Enforcement Directorate officer seeks money or personal details over phone calls, WhatsApp or video calls. Citizens have been warned against trusting fake arrest warrants or impersonators and advised never to transfer money to avoid arrest or for “verification”.
The public has also been cautioned against sharing bank accounts or SIM cards with others, as such actions may attract legal consequences. In case of suspicious calls, people have been advised to contact the local police or dial the cyber crime helpline 1930.
