New Delhi. A 73-year-old retired engineer was allegedly cheated of approximately ₹10.3 crore in a “digital arrest” scam after fraudsters posed as courier company employees and crime branch officials. The case, which began with a fake parcel-related call in October 2024, has now been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a wider probe into the network behind the fraud.
Fake Courier Call Triggers Panic
According to preliminary findings, the victim first received a call from individuals claiming to be employees of a multinational courier company. He was told that a parcel sent in his name from Taiwan had been intercepted at the Mumbai airport and allegedly contained banned narcotics.
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The call was then escalated to persons impersonating crime branch officials, who threatened him with severe legal consequences. Investigators believe the accused used fear and urgency to pressure the victim into complying with their instructions.
Eight-Hour Video Call Used to Coerce Victim
The fraudsters allegedly instructed the victim to download a video-calling application and kept him under continuous “digital arrest” for nearly eight hours. During the call, he was psychologically pressured and coerced into transferring money into multiple bank accounts.
The accused also allegedly threatened harm to his family members, particularly his children living abroad. Under pressure, the victim transferred around ₹10.3 crore before the fraud came to light after his family approached authorities and filed a complaint.
Money Trail Points to International Syndicate
An FIR was registered by the cyber cell, and the initial investigation found that the defrauded amount had been routed through several bank accounts in layered transactions. Agencies have so far frozen around ₹60 lakh linked to the fraud.
Investigators have found indications that the masterminds were operating from abroad, while associates in India helped gather information about the victim and move funds through domestic banking channels. The findings point to a coordinated international cybercrime syndicate with roles spread across borders.
The CBI is now working to identify all individuals involved in the network and trace the complete money trail. Officials believe further investigation may reveal additional layers of the syndicate and possibly more victims.
