Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Cyber Department has detected the case wherein a 72-year-old senior citizen from Mumbai, Maharashtra, was duped of Rs 58.13 crore, marking the largest Digital Arrest fraud ever reported in India. The agency has arrested seven persons so far and Rs 3.5 crore of the defrauded amount has been successfully frozen, officials said on Friday.
Seven Accused Arrested, ₹3.5 Crore Frozen
Those arrested have been identified as Sheikh Shahid Abdul Salam (19), Jafar Akbar Sayyed (33), Abdul Nasir Abdul Karim Khulli (51), Arjun Fojiram Kadwasara (52), Jetharam Rahinga Kadwasara (35), Imran Ismail Sheikh (22) and Mohammed Naved Sheikh (26).
Modus Operandi: Impersonation Of TRAI And Crime Branch Officials
In recent years, Digital Arrest frauds have emerged as one of the most alarming forms of high-value financial crime in the country. These scams typically involve large-ticket frauds wherein organised cyber syndicates impersonate law enforcement or government officials to extort substantial sums of money from victims under the false pretext of avoiding “digital arrest” in fabricated criminal cases.
The frequency, sophistication, and financial magnitude of such cases have witnessed a sharp rise across India, with multiple citizens, particularly senior citizens, losing their life savings to these meticulously orchestrated rackets..
Fake Police Station And Court Setup Used To Intimidate Victim
In the instant case, the complainant received a call from an international number impersonating a Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) officer. The caller alleged that the victim’s mobile number was being misused to send illegal messages. The call was then transferred to another individual posing as an officer from the Mumbai Crime Branch, who falsely claimed that the victim’s bank accounts were being used for money laundering activities. Under this fabricated narrative, the victim was told that to avoid a “digital arrest,” he must transfer funds to a designated account, which would be refunded after a so-called “verification procedure.”
Victim Transferred ₹58.13 Crore Over 40 Days Under Fear
"To lend credibility to the fraud, the accused orchestrated an elaborate fake police station and court proceeding via video calls, with other fraudsters impersonating police officials and even court judges. Believing the staged proceedings to be genuine, the victim, under fear and psychological pressure, transferred a total of Rs 58.13 crore over a span of 40 days, losing his entire life savings," said a police officer.
Cyber Investigation Reveals 6,500 Money Mule Accounts Across 13 Layers
Taking cognizance of the matter, Maharashtra Cyber initiated a multi-pronged investigation. Technical and financial trails were pursued simultaneously. Call Detail Records (CDR), Subscriber Detail Records (SDR), Customer Acquisition Forms (CAF), and Internet Protocol Detail Records (IPDR) of the fraudulent numbers were obtained and analyzed.
The technical analysis revealed that the calls originated from foreign IP addresses routed through VPNs and TOR networks, confirming the use of sophisticated anonymization techniques.
Accused Linked To Complex Network Of Shell Companies
"On the financial front, an exhaustive analysis of banking transactions, KYC records, and statements of multiple linked accounts revealed a complex network of over 6,500 money mule accounts spread across 13 layers. These were predominantly current accounts opened in the names of shell companies to facilitate high-value transactions without scrutiny. Through detailed financial forensics, Maharashtra Cyber successfully traced the end beneficiaries of several of these accounts, leading to the arrest of seven accused individuals," the officer said.
These individuals were directly linked to the fraudulent financial network, having either opened or operated money mule accounts in their names, received proceeds in the initial layers of transactions, or facilitated fund movement by sourcing and managing such accounts for the syndicate.
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Mastermind Still At Large, Probe On Into Bank Official’s Role
"Efforts are underway to identify the mastermind orchestrating the operation. The role of the branch manager of the victim’s bank is also under investigation to determine possible negligence or complicity in the fraudulent transfers," the officer said.
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