What began as a ₹99,000 complaint at a Delhi police station has widened into a multi-state investigation, exposing how impersonation, mule accounts and SIM-based WhatsApp access power a new generation of cyber frauds known as “digital arrests.”
The case surfaced with a complaint at Shaheen Bagh police station, where a resident reported being coerced into transferring ₹99,000 after receiving WhatsApp video calls from individuals posing as Karnataka Police officials. The callers allegedly threatened him with fabricated criminal cases, claiming his Aadhaar number and mobile phone were linked to serious offences.
Delhi Police officials say such complaints have become emblematic of a rapidly expanding fraud model, one that relies less on traditional phishing and more on psychological intimidation a tactic now widely referred to as the “digital arrest” scam.
How the ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam Operates
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari, the accused operated by impersonating law-enforcement and government officials over video calls, creating an illusion of official authority. Victims were allegedly told they were under immediate investigation and instructed to transfer money to avoid arrest or further action.
Investigators say these calls were reinforced with detailed but false narratives involving Aadhaar misuse, criminal cases and inter-state investigations. The use of WhatsApp video, rather than voice calls alone, added a layer of credibility that made victims more compliant under pressure.
A Network Built on Intermediaries
As the probe widened, police traced the accused to a broader inter-state and cross-border cyber fraud network. Officials say the arrested individuals were not operating in isolation but were part of an ecosystem involving mule account providers, SIM suppliers and handlers who enabled access to WhatsApp accounts and banking channels.
“This intermediary layer is critical,” an officer involved in the investigation said. “Without easy access to bank accounts and SIM-based communication, these frauds cannot scale.” Technical analysis of call records, financial trails and digital footprints helped investigators map movements and link the suspects to multiple complaints registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
Arrests Across States, Scale Still Unfolding
Six individuals identified by police as Dharmender Chauhan, Somveer Saini, Mohammad Ahteshamul Haq, Santosh Kumar, Khandai Muhammad Bugari P P and Muhammad Shahid T have been arrested. Four others were bound down as part of preventive action.
Raids were conducted across seven states, including Delhi, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Police say over ₹50 crore has been linked to 66 cyber-fraud complaints connected to the arrested individuals, indicating a scale far larger than the initial complaint suggested.
A Growing Challenge for Law Enforcement
Delhi Police officials describe the case as illustrative of how cybercrime in India is evolving from isolated online frauds to organised, multi-layered networks that combine technology, identity misuse and psychological coercion.
While arrests mark a significant step, investigators acknowledge that dismantling the wider infrastructure particularly the intermediaries supplying SIMs and mule accounts remains the most complex challenge. As the investigation continues, authorities expect more arrests and financial linkages to emerge, underscoring how “digital arrests” have become a new front in India’s cybercrime landscape.
