Behrampore: An elderly couple in West Bengal’s Behrampore allegedly lost Rs 46 lakh after falling victim to a digital arrest scam involving a fraudster impersonating a senior National Investigation Agency (NIA) official.
The victims, identified as 70-year-old Mukul Dutta and his wife Chanchala Dutta, were contacted by the fraudster on September 22. The caller allegedly claimed that Mukul’s Aadhaar details had been misused to facilitate financial transactions linked to terrorists abroad.
Posing as an NIA Additional Director General, the accused told the couple that they were under investigation by the Mumbai Anti-Crime Branch and that the proceedings were being monitored by the Supreme Court. He threatened them with immediate arrest if they failed to cooperate.
The fraudster demanded Rs 46 lakh, assuring the couple that the amount would be refunded if they were cleared of the allegations. He also instructed them not to disclose the matter to anyone, claiming that personnel in plain clothes were monitoring their movements.
Fearing legal action, the couple liquidated their fixed deposits, sold gold and arranged their savings to meet the demand. They subsequently transferred the entire amount to a bank account provided by the caller.
The fraud came to light when the couple informed their son, Mridul Dutta, who recognised the deception. He later approached Behrampore police and submitted a written complaint on Monday.
Inspector-in-charge Sandip Sen confirmed that a case had been registered and an investigation was underway. The Cyber Crime Branch has also initiated a separate probe.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over digital arrest frauds. India has reportedly suffered cyber fraud losses exceeding Rs 52,000 crore over five years. The Supreme Court has also raised concerns over such scams and indicated that banks could face liability for losses arising from lapses in due diligence.
