74-year-old Peddar Road resident loses ₹4.5 cr to digital arrest fraud

Over 20 days, the fraudsters impersonated senior police officers, threatened the couple with arrest and used forged Supreme Court documents to convince the couple that they were under investigation

MUMBAI: A 74-year-old businessman and resident of Peddar Road has lost around ₹4.52 crore to a digital arrest fraud after cyber fraudsters led him and his wife to believe they had become entangled in a money-laundering case, according to the police.

The South Cyber police have registered a case of cheating and impersonation against unidentified persons.

Over 20 days, the fraudsters impersonated senior police officers, threatened the couple with arrest and used forged Supreme Court documents to convince the couple that they were under investigation, officers said.

The South Cyber police have registered a case of cheating and impersonation against unidentified persons.

The ordeal began on September 19, when the businessman received a call from a man who identified himself as Chirag Rawal from the Colaba police station. The caller claimed that a SIM card issued in the businessman’s name had been used to commit a crime. He told the businessman to obtain a “non-involvement certificate” to prove he was not involved in the crime.

When the businessman denied owning the SIM card, the call was transferred to another man posing as an Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officer from Lucknow. He claimed that a bank account opened in the businessman’s name had been used to launder a large sum of money.

“They even had a video call with the complainant on WhatsApp. They sent him an arrest warrant and an asset seizure order issued by the Supreme Court. The document carried his Aadhaar number and a purported signature of the Chief Justice of India. It also cited the Official Secrets Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, so the complainant believed it was original,” said a police officer.

The businessman subsequently received a message declaring that he was under “digital arrest” and would be investigated through video calls. He was warned not to tell his relatives, domestic help or bank staff about the proceedings, or else he would be arrested, and his assets seized, said the police officer.

The fraudsters ordered the couple to give their domestic help leave, lock themselves inside their home and regularly report their movements. Even when the businessman’s wife visited a hospital for medical tests on September 19 and 21, she was instructed not to speak to anyone and to keep the supposed investigators informed.

The fraudsters even sent the couple photographs of locations near their home, claiming they were being watched. They also asked the businessman to write to the chief of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), requesting a priority investigation to get an early clean chit.

The fraudsters then sent photographs of people they claimed had been arrested in connection with the case. They alleged that these accused had disclosed details of bank accounts opened in the businessman’s name.

Using forged letters purportedly issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the fraudsters instructed the businessman to transfer funds to a so-called “Public Fund Account”. They assured him that the money would be refunded once verified.

The businessman transferred around ₹4.52 crore in multiple transactions. Throughout the ordeal, the couple were instructed not to disclose the investigation to bank staff and to provide real-time updates about their movements over WhatsApp.

The fraud unravelled on October 7, when the businessman’s financial advisor noticed that he appeared distressed. After learning about the businessman’s ordeal, the advisor explained to him that he had fallen victim to cyber fraud and urged him to approach the police.