Mumbai: A year-long investigation has led to a breakthrough in a “digital arrest” scam in which a 69-year-old Andheri resident was allegedly defrauded of over ₹1.54 crore, police said.
The victim, a retired private company employee, was targeted in December 2025 by fraudsters posing as police officials. They falsely accused him of circulating obscene videos for extortion and threatened immediate arrest if he did not comply.
To make the threat appear credible, the accused sent forged documents, including a summons and an arrest warrant, and coerced the victim into signing a so-called confidentiality agreement. They also staged a fake courtroom hearing featuring a purported judge.
Under sustained pressure, the victim transferred ₹1.54 crore across multiple bank accounts. The fraudsters then cut off contact, after which the victim realised he had been cheated and approached police.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, investigators traced one of the bank accounts to an auto-rickshaw driver in Mumbai.
Police have arrested the accused, identified as Ashok Pal, for allegedly facilitating the financial transactions.
Further investigation is underway to identify and apprehend other members of the network involved in the scam.
