Elderly man duped of ₹16.24 crore in ‘digital arrest’ cyber scam
When the victim expressed his inability to travel due to his age and health, the scammers allegedly told him he could appear before the “Crime Branch Court” through an online hearing. | Photo credit: Getty Images
Cyber fraudsters posing as officials of the Mumbai Crime Branch allegedly duped a 76-year-old Bengaluru resident of over ₹16.24 lakh by threatening him with fake criminal cases and staging a fake virtual trial.
Acting on the complaint, the South East Division Cyber Crime Police on Saturday registered a case under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act, 2023.
The complainant, a resident of Pai Layout, said that on February 16, 2026, he received a WhatsApp call from a person who identified himself as Rakesh Gupta and claimed to be an officer from the Mumbai Crime Branch.
According to the complaint, the caller claimed that the mobile number obtained using the identity of the victim was being used to spread illegal and obscene messages and several complaints were registered against it. The fraudsters allegedly kept the elderly man under constant psychological pressure and intimidation.
A few days later, another person contacted the victim and identified himself as Vijay Khanna. He allegedly alleged that the complainant’s bank account was used in a money laundering case involving transactions worth ₹2-3 million and ordered him to appear before the Mumbai police for investigation. When the victim expressed his inability to travel due to his age and health, the scammers allegedly told him he could appear before the “Crime Branch Court” through an online hearing.
During a WhatsApp video call, another accused, posing as a judge, conducted what appeared to be a mock trial and threatened the victim with arrest, falsely assuring her that she would be granted bail considering his age. Police said the accused continued to psychologically harass and intimidate the victim for several days, leading him to believe that an official investigation was underway.
The fraudsters later convinced the complainant that all his money needed to be transferred temporarily for “verification” purposes and assured him that the amount would be refunded once the investigation was complete. Believing the claims and acting out of fear, the victim allegedly transferred ₹16,24,107 in several transactions through RTGS and IMPS to bank accounts provided by the accused.
After realizing that she had been duped, the victim approached the police seeking legal action against the fraudsters. Further investigation is underway. The victim discussed his ordeal with his family members and friends, who suggested he contact the police.
Published – 25 May 2026 18:47 IST