Goa’s Police Cybercrime Unit arrested a Kerala resident for allegedly duping a Quepem-based victim of over ₹1 crore through a deceitful “digital arrest” scheme, officials said on Monday.
The accused, identified as Gokul Prakash M K from West Kannur, was apprehended on August 7 following a formal complaint lodged by the victim. Superintendent of Police (Cyber Crime), Rahul Gupta, said the operation began when the complainant received WhatsApp calls from individuals posing as law enforcement personnel. The perpetrators falsely implicated him in a money laundering case related to the Naresh Goyal investigation, presenting a fabricated arrest warrant to coerce payment
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High-Tech Impersonation and Financial Deception
The sophisticated fraud involved impersonation using computer-generated documents and threats to create a sense of imminent arrest. Under duress, the victim transferred over ₹1 crore across multiple accounts. Technical and financial probes traced approximately ₹24 lakh into an ICICI Bank account belonging to Prakash, who was found connected to 13 cybercrime cases spanning 10 states, cumulatively involving over ₹9 crore.
Authorities located and arrested Prakash in Kerala, leveraging digital forensics and financial trail analysis. The Goa Police have registered the case under both the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. He remains in police custody while investigations continue under the supervision of Cybercrime PI, Deepak Pednekar.
Growing Sophistication of Digital Scams
Digital arrest scams, where criminals impersonate officials to intimidate victims into transferring funds, have surged across India. The Ministry of Home Affairs reports dramatic increases in such online fraud incidents over recent years. This case underscores how scammers exploit public trust in institutions, using alleged legal threats to instil fear and extract money.
Cybercrime experts urge the public to remain vigilant. Legitimate law enforcement will not demand payment via bank transfers. Any communication threatening arrest or revealing supposed warrants should immediately trigger scepticism. Authorities advise verifying such claims through official channels and lodging complaints at the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station.
