In a major breakthrough to counter cybercrime, the North Cyber Police have arrested three individuals from Gujarat. The accused who have been arrested were involved in a “digital arrest” scam that duped a retired Air India official of Rs. 67 lakh. The alleged scammers impersonated Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers and manipulated the victim through fear, deception, and fake documents.

The Digital Trap

The incident unfolded between 10 and 18, 2024, when the 63-year-old victim, a Malad West resident and retired Air India official, was targeted through a series of calculated calls and video messages. 
The fraud began with a call from someone posing as a Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) official, alleging that a phone number registered in his name was involved in harassment.

Soon after, the complainant received a WhatsApp video call from a man identifying himself as CBI Officer Suraj Kumar. He accused the victim of money laundering, drug trafficking, and human trafficking, allegedly conducted through a fake bank account opened in Delhi using the victim’s Aadhaar number. To intensify the fear, the accused shared fake CBI summonses via PDF and threatened High Court action and arrest.
Panicked and psychologically cornered, the victim remained on continuous video calls for several days and transferred Rs 67 lakh to multiple bank accounts as directed by the fraudsters.