A resident of Sahibganj district in Jharkhand recently fell victim to a sophisticated "digital arrest" scam, losing a staggering ₹1.20 crore (approximately $144,000 USD) that he had meticulously saved for his daughter's wedding. Cybercriminals, impersonating officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), subjected the man to a two-month ordeal, coercing him into multiple transactions.
The Deceptive Call and "Digital Arrest"
The elaborate fraud began in June when Gautam Chandra Das received a call from an individual identifying himself as Pradeep Singh, a senior CBI officer. The caller falsely informed Das that a serious case had been registered against him and that arrest proceedings were imminent.
Subsequently, the perpetrators maintained a relentless "digital arrest" over Das, primarily through video calls. They convinced him he was under constant surveillance, creating a pervasive atmosphere of fear and control. To lend credibility to their deception, the criminals even staged a fake courtroom environment, compelling Das to appear before a purported CBI court via video calls on three separate occasions.
During these sessions, Das was subjected to threats of legal action, hefty fines, and actual arrest. Under immense psychological pressure, he was repeatedly instructed to transfer money to various bank accounts, allegedly to close the fabricated case or to shield him from impending arrest. He complied with these demands approximately ten times, draining his life savings.
Police Launch Investigation into Cyber Fraud
Realizing he had been duped, Das first confided in a relative before formally reporting the crime to the police. Sahibganj DSP (Headquarters) Ravikant Sao confirmed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the extensive fraud.
The SIT is meticulously scrutinizing the bank accounts, mobile numbers, and transaction trails utilized by the cybercriminals. The primary objective of the investigation is to trace the flow of the defrauded funds, identify the perpetrators, and dismantle their network, bringing them to justice and preventing further such scams.