An 84-year-old retired bank manager and his wife from Ghaziabad allegedly lost ₹2.2 crore after cyber fraudsters kept them under virtual surveillance for nearly 12 days in a digital arrest scam. The accused allegedly posed as law enforcement officials, linked the retired banker to a ₹538 crore bank embezzlement case and pressured the couple into transferring money.
Fake Case Used to Create Fear
According to police, the victims have been identified as Ram Prakash Hariya and his wife, residents of Ramprastha Greens Society in Vaishali, Ghaziabad. They allegedly received a WhatsApp video call on May 22 from a person posing as an official from Delhi’s Daryaganj.
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The caller falsely claimed that Hariya’s name had surfaced during the investigation into a ₹538 crore Canara Bank embezzlement case dating back to 2023. The fraudsters allegedly told the retired banker that he had been placed under digital arrest.
Police said the accused warned him that disconnecting the call, contacting family members or approaching authorities would lead to immediate legal action and physical arrest. The threat allegedly kept the elderly couple under continuous psychological pressure.
Fake Virtual Courtroom Created
To make the deception appear credible, the fraudsters allegedly created a fake virtual courtroom and impersonated officials from multiple law enforcement agencies. The couple was reportedly subjected to video interrogations lasting between four and eight hours every day.
During these calls, the accused allegedly threatened the victims with arrest, criminal prosecution and seizure of assets unless they followed instructions. Investigators said the couple was made to believe that the process was part of an official inquiry.
The fraudsters gradually convinced them to transfer money into multiple bank accounts under the pretext of verifying financial records and securing temporary clearance from the alleged investigation. The victims reportedly believed the money would be returned after the inquiry was completed.
Money Trail Under Investigation
As the pressure increased, Hariya allegedly borrowed money and obtained loans amounting to nearly ₹70 lakh to meet the fraudsters’ demands. By the end of the ordeal, the couple had transferred approximately ₹2.20 crore.
The fraud came to light after the victims realised they had been deceived and approached the police. Authorities have registered a case and started an investigation to identify the bank accounts used in the transactions, trace the movement of funds and locate those involved in the cyber fraud network.
Investigators are examining digital evidence, communication records and financial transaction details to determine whether the accused were operating from within India or as part of an organised cross-border cybercrime syndicate. Officials are also working to identify mule accounts and intermediaries used to move the stolen money.
Cyber crime expert and former IPS officer Professor Triveni Singh said digital arrest scams rely largely on social engineering rather than technology. He cautioned that no legitimate law enforcement agency conducts arrests, court proceedings or investigations through continuous WhatsApp video calls or demands money to avoid legal action.
Police have urged the public, especially senior citizens, to remain alert and avoid transferring money based on threatening phone or video calls. The investigation is continuing.
