Pune: A 71-year-old man allegedly lost Rs 22 lakh after falling victim to a sophisticated cyber fraud in which an unidentified individual impersonated a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer and threatened him with a fake ‘digital arrest’.
The incident reportedly took place between October 5 and 15. According to the complaint, the accused initially contacted the elderly resident while posing as a senior police official from Karnataka. He later claimed to be associated with the CBI and alleged that the victim’s mobile SIM card had been linked to a child trafficking case.
Using these fabricated allegations, the fraudster warned the man of serious legal consequences and convinced him that he was facing digital arrest. He subsequently demanded money, claiming it was required as a security deposit for a supposed digital verification process.
Under pressure and fearing legal action, the victim transferred a total of Rs 22 lakh to bank accounts provided by the caller, a police official said.
Following the complaint, Vishrantwadi police registered a case on Wednesday against the unidentified accused. The case has been filed under Sections 319(2), relating to cheating by personation, and 318(4), concerning cheating, of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act. No arrests have been reported so far.
Digital arrest scams involve criminals impersonating police officers, CBI officials or other government authorities through phone and video calls. Victims are threatened with fabricated criminal charges and pressured into transferring money.
Authorities have repeatedly clarified that there is no legal provision for digital arrest in India and that legitimate law enforcement agencies do not demand money for investigations or verification.
