Mumbai: A 75-year-old retired Income Tax officer from Dahisar was allegedly cheated of ₹51 lakh by cyber fraudsters who placed him under a fake “digital arrest” and threatened him with imprisonment in a fabricated money laundering case. The accused allegedly posed as senior police officers, kept the victim under constant surveillance through video calls and forced him to transfer the money to a so-called “secure account”. Police have arrested a man who allegedly provided his bank account to the fraud network for receiving and routing the money.
According to police, the complainant, Dhananjay Balwant Sawant, retired from the Income Tax Department in 2010. In January this year, he received a video call from a man dressed in a police uniform who identified himself as Premkumar Gautam, a senior Lucknow Police officer. The caller allegedly told Sawant that a bank account had been opened using his documents and was being used for transactions involving large amounts of money linked to money laundering.
Soon after, two other men allegedly contacted Sawant through video calls and identified themselves as Police Inspector Vijay Khanna and Director General of Police Rakesh Agrawal. They allegedly told him that a case had been registered against him and that he could be arrested and sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.
The fraudsters allegedly instructed Sawant to remain available on video calls throughout the supposed investigation. They told him that he was effectively under “house arrest” and warned him against informing relatives or other people about the case. According to police, the accused threatened to send officers to his residence if he failed to follow their instructions.
The fraudsters also allegedly sent forged documents and sought details of Sawant’s bank accounts. Under sustained psychological pressure, he believed the callers were genuine law enforcement officials. He subsequently transferred ₹51 lakh from his bank accounts and other deposits to an account specified by the fraudsters. He was allegedly told that the money would remain safe in a “secure account” until the investigation was completed.
After the money was transferred, the fraudsters eventually stopped contacting him. Sawant’s wife noticed a change in his behaviour and found him unusually quiet and distressed. When he explained what had happened, she informed him that there was no legal concept of “digital arrest”. Realising that he had been defrauded, Sawant approached the North Region Cyber Police in May and lodged a complaint.
Police subsequently began examining bank transactions, technical information and the movement of the cheated funds. During the investigation, they traced and arrested Mohammad Safwan Abdul Hamid. Police allege that questioning revealed that he had provided his bank accounts to the cyber fraudsters.
According to investigators, a portion of the cheated money was transferred into Abdul Hamid’s account and was subsequently withdrawn by other members of the alleged cybercrime network. Police have also alleged that Abdul Hamid received a commission for facilitating the transactions through his bank account.
He was arrested and produced before a magistrate’s court in Borivali, which remanded him in police custody. Investigators are now working to identify other members of the network and establish their respective roles in the fraud.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said such scams rely heavily on psychological manipulation, with criminals impersonating law enforcement officials and creating a sense of immediate legal danger. He said any demand made through a video call to transfer money for an investigation, keep funds in a “secure account” or remain under “digital arrest” should be treated as a major warning sign. Victims should independently verify the identity of the caller by contacting the concerned police agency or a trusted family member rather than following instructions issued during the call.
Police said technical investigations have also helped identify other suspects and a special operation has been launched to apprehend them. Investigators are examining the bank accounts through which the ₹51 lakh was routed and are trying to determine the extent of the alleged network.
The case highlights how digital arrest fraudsters exploit fear of criminal prosecution, fake official identities and forged documents to manipulate victims into transferring their savings. The allegations against the arrested accused remain subject to investigation and legal proceedings, while police continue to investigate the other suspects involved in the case.
