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Bihar RJD leader ‘digitally arrested’ for hours at Patna house: ‘If you step out…’
RJD MLC Mohammad Shoaib claimed that the accused threatened him with “legal action and even death” if he attempted to leave his home or seek any help.
Rashtriya Janata Dal MLC in Bihar Mohammad Shoaib was allegedly “digitally arrested” for hours at his Patna residence by cyber criminals who “extracted his personal information”, The Indian Express reported, citing police.
In his FIR, registered on the evening of April 10, Mohammad Shoaib claimed that the accused coerced and threatened him with “legal action and even death” if he attempted to leave his home or seek any assistance.
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According to the complaint, the RLD leader received calls from two phone numbers around 10:30am on April 8, and the caller introduced himself as an officer from the Mumbai Police Cyber Crime Unit.
“They said that I was involved in a money laundering case and had done fraudulent transactions and illegal online activities to the tune of crores through a Canara Bank account in Mumbai,” The Indian Express reported, citing the FIR that quoted the MLC as saying.
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He added that the fraudsters also cited a fake case number and provided a mobile number linked to the MLC to lend credibility to their claims.
The fraudsters “virtually confined” Shoaib until midnight, repeatedly “threatening him with legal consequences and forcing him to share personal details, including sensitive banking information, to resolve the situation”.
“They even extracted my personal information, including Aadhaar number, details of assets such as gold and cash reserves, and a few records of my possessions. They also took my signature on blank paper,” the MLC claimed in the complaint.
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“They said that if you step out of your house or reach out to others for assistance, chances are that you might even be killed,” Mohammad Shoaib further claimed.
The politician, suspecting foul play, contacted law enforcement to report the matter and filed the complaint.
The report added that the cops have registered the case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.
CBI cracks down on digital arrest syndicates
The Central Bureau of Investigation, in a major crackdown on syndicates running digital arrest scams, has arrested four people following searches at 12 locations, PTI reported, citing officials on Tuesday.
Terming it "Operation Chakra-V", they said the CBI carried out searches in connection with a digital arrests case registered by it on the request of the Rajasthan government in which two persons each were arrested from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai.
It was alleged that the arrested accused extorted a total of ₹7.67 crore in 42 instalments. The victim was digitally detained for over three months by cybercriminals posing as personnel of various law enforcement agencies, the officials said.
(With inputs from PTI)
