Noida family loses ₹3.21 crore in 38-day ‘digital arrest’

When the retired man said that he was a senior citizen, he along with his wife, and daughter were put under digital arrest

Noida: A family in Noida lost ₹3.21 crore after being allegedly put under digital arrest for 38 days (July 16 to August 22) at their home, police said on Tuesday.

The woman complained that her father was called from an unidentified number claiming to be from TRAI, alleging that his Aadhaar number had been used to send illegal advertising, pornographic videos, and harassing text messages to the public. (Representational Image)

The family harassment ended after the main victim’s daughter conjured up courage to approach the cybercrime branch police station on August 22, and was informed that the ongoing call was from cyber frauds and they disconnected it.

Police said the complainant woman, a private firm employee in Noida, resides with her father, a retired Indian Air Force officer, and homemaker mother, in Noida’s upscale Sector 25.

The woman complained that her father was called from an unidentified number claiming to be from TRAI, alleging that his Aadhaar number had been used to send illegal advertising, pornographic videos, and harassing text messages to the public.

“Her father was directed to call the Mumbai Crime Branch and was told that his Aadhaar card had been used to open a current account in a private bank in Mumbai and it was used to launder money and in an identity theft case,” said a police officer, requesting anonymity, adding he was asked to visit Mumbai Crime Branch.

When the retired man said that he was a senior citizen, he along with his wife, and daughter were put under digital arrest. “With 24x7 video surveillance via WhatsApp. They (suspects) then placed us in front of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court judge via a WhatsApp link,” reads the FIR.

Police said the fraudsters asked the family to transfer all savings into a bank account for verification. “In multiple transactions, the family transferred ₹3.21 crore through RTGS. On August 22, when the victim woman was allowed to go out for important work, she approached the Cybercrime Branch police station,” said cybercrime branch SHO Ranjeet Singh.

Later, a complaint was filed and a case under Sections for extortion), cheating, and cheating by personation of the BNS was registered at the Cybercrime Branch police station, and further probe is on, police added.