the Uttarakhand Special Task Force arrested 32-year-old Chandrashekhar Sikarawal of Faridabad, Haryana, for allegedly orchestrating a ₹1.02 crore “digital arrest” scam in Dehradun and nearby regions. The suspect, posing as officials from telecom, CBI, and ED, defrauded at least one victim, sometimes holding them virtually captive and demanding money to “clear their name.”
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What Is a “Digital Arrest”?
Scammers contact victims via WhatsApp or phone, impersonating government officials claiming victims face prosecution for alleged crimes. They then enforce a fake “digital arrest,” coercing victims through virtual monitoring and threats until money is transferred into mule accounts.
In this case, the victim was told their mobile number was linked to human trafficking and money laundering, and that unless they transferred funds ₹1.02 crore in total they would be arrested. The fraud unfolded over just ten days.
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From Deception to Arrest
According to Uttarakhand STF SSP Navneet Singh, the victim filed a complaint in March 2025 after suspicious transactions prompted bank intervention. Collaborating with Faridabad police, the STF traced the suspect to Haryana and arrested him without incident. Authorities found his accounts linked to 13 cyber-fraud complaints across various states.
During interrogation, investigators discovered that Sikarawal also registered “Formatrix International Trade Pvt Ltd” in Gurgaon under his wife’s name, which was used to channel ₹20 lakh. Digital forensics revealed crores in suspicious bank flows linked to the scam.
About the Author – Anirudh Mittal is a B.Sc. LL.B. (Hons.) student at National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, with a keen interest in corporate law and tech-driven legal change.