Gwalior: In a major crackdown against cybercrime, the Crime Branch in Gwalior has exposed a ₹2.52 crore digital arrest fraud and arrested four suspects linked to Delhi. The fraudsters allegedly posed as officials of a central investigative agency and targeted a retired Indian Air Force radiologist, keeping him under continuous video surveillance for 27 days. Under fear and psychological pressure, the victim was forced to transfer a large amount of money into accounts controlled by the scammers.
Multi-State Money Trail Across 15 States
During investigation, police found that the accused first routed the money through five different bank accounts located in Delhi, Noida, Varanasi and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. Around ₹1.5 crore was transferred to two accounts in Andhra Pradesh during the initial stage, while nearly ₹1 crore was sent to three accounts in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. To further disperse the stolen money and avoid detection, the fraud network used more than 300 bank accounts spread across 15 states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam and Karnataka.
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Shell Firm “Jingga Crunch and Snacks” Under Scanner
Authorities also discovered a suspicious Delhi-based firm named “Jingga Crunch and Snacks”. The firm was allegedly used to open a current bank account for cyber fraud transactions. Preliminary questioning revealed that the firm was created under the direction of other unidentified individuals who controlled the financial operations of the scam network. Police conducted raids at shops in Delhi and detained two individuals for interrogation.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Mohit Mishra and Shahil Khan. During questioning, they admitted that they received about ₹2.5 lakh as commission for allowing their firm’s account to be used. Their role was limited to facilitating the opening of the bank account, while the main fraud operations were allegedly handled by other members of the network. Police suspect that this case is part of an organized digital fraud syndicate.
Arrest of the Accused
Further investigation led to the arrest of Rahul Prajapati and Harish Yadav, who are accused of helping open mule bank accounts and arranging financial channels for cyber criminals. According to officials, the network used fear and deception to force victims into transferring money. The scammers impersonated officers of central investigative agencies, threatened victims with legal action, and instructed them not to contact anyone during the so-called investigation process.
Police stated that the digital arrest fraud represents a new style of cybercrime where victims are psychologically trapped through phone and video calls. The retired doctor was told that an investigation was underway against him and that non-cooperation could lead to legal action. Out of fear, the victim followed the instructions of the fraudsters for several days and transferred money accordingly.
The Anatomy of a “Digital Arrest” Scam
Cybersecurity experts say such scams begin by creating fear and then extracting money through online transfers. Experts associated with the Future Crime Research Foundation stated that modern cyber fraud gangs are using mule accounts and multi-layer transaction systems, making it extremely difficult to trace the actual location of the stolen funds.
Authorities said interrogation of the arrested suspects is continuing and efforts are underway to dismantle the entire network. Police suspect that more members of the gang may be active. In view of the rising cyber fraud cases, people have been advised not to share personal or banking information with unknown callers or video callers.
