Cyber Crime Police in Panchkula have arrested a third accused in a digital arrest fraud case in which a 70-year-old man was allegedly cheated of ₹80.09 lakh by fraudsters posing as CBI and TRAI officials. The accused, identified as Ranjarla Ramulu, was arrested from Telangana after leads emerged during the questioning of two earlier arrested suspects.
Fake CBI Threat Used to Trap Victim
The case began with a complaint filed on January 19, 2026, by a 70-year-old resident of Pinjore. According to the complaint, the fraudsters contacted the victim through a WhatsApp video call while impersonating officials from TRAI and the Central Bureau of Investigation.
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The callers allegedly claimed that a SIM card issued in the victim’s name had been used in a serious criminal case. They further alleged that ₹2 crore in illegal transactions had been linked to his bank account.
To intimidate the victim, the accused allegedly showed a forged letter bearing the logo of the Maharashtra Police and threatened him with arrest and imprisonment. Police said the victim was kept under a so-called digital arrest for several days.
₹80.09 Lakh Transferred During Fraud
Under the pretext of verifying bank accounts and returning the money after investigation, the fraudsters allegedly persuaded the victim to transfer ₹80,09,500 into accounts controlled by them.
Two accused, Saurabh Kumar and Pathukar Murali Krishna, had already been arrested in connection with the case. Their interrogation provided leads that helped police trace the third accused.
Ranjarla Ramulu was arrested on June 22 from Nizamabad district in Telangana and brought to Panchkula on transit remand for questioning.
Fake Company Account Under Probe
During interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted that he and his associates had opened a bank account in the name of a fake company to receive cyber fraud proceeds. Investigators found nearly ₹5.47 crore in suspicious cyber-related transactions linked to his bank account.
Police said the accused is reportedly facing 18 cyber fraud complaints across multiple states. After completion of his remand, he was produced before the court and sent to judicial custody.
Cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said digital arrest scams often involve impersonation of agencies such as the CBI, police, TRAI and other government departments to create fear. He said no government agency conducts investigations or places people under digital arrest through WhatsApp video calls, or asks them to transfer money to private bank accounts.
