In yet another case highlighting the rise of “digital arrest” scams, a 57-year-old retired woman from Pune lost ₹51 lakh after cyber criminals posing as senior law enforcement officials threatened her with arrest for allegedly “sharing photos of weapons used in the Pahalgam terror attack.”
According to police, the incident occurred in the last week of September when the woman, a resident of Kothrud, received a video call from a man claiming to be the chief of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). The caller accused her of being linked to a terror-related investigation and claimed that her phone number had been used to circulate sensitive photos.
Despite her denial, the scammers sent her fabricated documents bearing official-looking seals and titles such as confidentiality agreement, arrest warrant, and magistrate order. The caller then informed her that “NIA chief Sadanand Date” would be in touch to “verify” her details.
Soon after, another fraudster—posing as NIA Director General Sadanand Date—contacted her via video call. The impostor asked for her financial details, including savings, fixed deposits, and assets, and told her she needed to undergo a “fund legalisation” process. He convinced her to transfer her money into so-called “government accounts” for verification, promising that the funds would be returned after the investigation concluded.
Over four days, the victim made five large transfers totaling ₹51.2 lakh to various mule bank accounts. When she finally confided in her family, it became clear that she had been duped. She then approached the Pune Cyber Crime Police Station, where an FIR was registered on Sunday following a preliminary inquiry.
