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A 63-year-old retired bank employee in Gujarat’s Jamnagar has been defrauded of Rs 42.25 lakh by cybercriminals who subjected him to a 15-day “digital arrest” while impersonating officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and the Data Protection Board. The accused falsely implicated the victim in acquiring a SIM card using his Aadhaar details to circulate obscene content and conduct illegal activities. Threatening him with immediate arrest under charges of cyber terrorism, money laundering, and terror funding, the fraudsters coerced him into transferring his life savings across multiple bank accounts under the pretext of proving his innocence.
The victim has been identified as Jayesh Parshottambhai Ojha, a resident of the Kisan Chowk area in Jamnagar. The ordeal began on the morning of October 10, 2026, when he received an initial phone call followed shortly by a WhatsApp contact from an individual posing as Rahul Kulkarni, a senior official of the Data Protection Board of India.
Fake notices and confinement threats used to build pressure
During the calls, the accused alleged that a mobile number registered with Ojha’s Aadhaar details was being used for illegal campaigns and distributing obscene material. When Ojha denied the allegations, the callers threatened him with severe legal consequences and instructed him to isolate himself in a separate room without informing any family members. They warned that breaching confidentiality would lead to his immediate arrest under national security laws.
To make their claims appear authentic, the fraudsters told Ojha that a criminal case had been registered at the Colaba police station in Mumbai, naming him alongside 20 others in a money laundering and terror financing conspiracy. They sent forged legal notices, fake Supreme Court summonses, and fabricated documents bearing the letterheads of investigative agencies and the RBI. Over continuous phone and video calls, they convinced him to transfer his bank savings to designated accounts for financial verification, assuring a full refund once he was cleared.
Multiple high-value transfers over two weeks
Fearing damage to his reputation and imminent arrest, Ojha complied with the demands over a two-week period. The transactions included an initial transfer of Rs 3.15 lakh from his Central Bank of India account on October 12. Subsequent installments involved larger sums, including separate transfers of Rs 10 lakh and Rs 17 lakh, bringing his total financial loss to Rs 42.25 lakh.
Fraud uncovered after victim consults family
As the psychological pressure and financial demands escalated, Ojha grew suspicious and defied the callers’ instructions by confiding in his family members and relatives. Upon learning that no investigative agency or financial regulator conducts interrogations over video calls or demands money transfers for verification, he approached the police.
Based on his complaint, the Jamnagar Cyber Crime Police Station registered a first information report under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. Investigators are currently tracking the recipient bank accounts and analyzing WhatsApp call logs and digital documents to identify the culprits and determine the size of the network. Authorities reiterated that government agencies, courts, and regulators never place citizens under digital arrest or seek fund transfers, urging the public to verify such claims through official channels.
