Cybercriminals impersonating law enforcement officials allegedly defrauded a senior scientist at the National Chemical Laboratory in Pune of Rs 78 lakh in a ‘digital arrest’ scam, police said.
The victim, a man in his 50s, was reportedly coerced into taking instant loans and mortgaging gold after being threatened with imprisonment in a fabricated money laundering case.
Impersonation and Coercion Through Calls
According to the complaint, the ordeal began a few weeks ago with persistent calls from an unidentified number. When the scientist responded, a caller posing as “Inspector Sandeep Diwan” from Ashok Nagar police in Bengaluru claimed his identity had been used to open bank accounts linked to money laundering. He was told the matter had been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Two days later, the victim allegedly received a WhatsApp video call from a woman in police uniform seated in what appeared to be an official setting. She identified herself as Navjot Simi, misusing the name of a well-known Bihar-cadre IPS officer.
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Threats of ‘Digital Arrest’ and Financial Demands
The woman allegedly informed the scientist that he had been placed under ‘digital arrest’ and would soon be taken into custody from his home. He was told he would have to pay Rs 75 lakh to clear his name. When he said he could not arrange the amount, he was instructed to do so within seven days.
The complainant was also asked to remain available on calls and verify his location when contacted. He was later given a mule account number, described as a government bank account, and deposited Rs 7 lakh. The caller allegedly claimed the amount was insufficient and threatened jail if further payments were not made.
Payments, Realisation and Police Warning
Over the following days, the victim took an instant bank loan and a gold mortgage loan, and borrowed money from friends and relatives without disclosing the reason. He allegedly transferred a total of Rs 78 lakh across multiple transactions.
After making the payments, he tried calling the number used by the fraudster posing as Simi, but received no response. Realising he had been cheated, he approached the cybercrime police station and filed an FIR.
Police said such frauds often follow a familiar pattern, with criminals misusing the names of well-known IPS officers to gain credibility. Despite awareness campaigns, cases of digital arrest, online extortion and blackmail continue, with fraudsters impersonating agencies such as the police, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Reserve Bank of India, the Enforcement Directorate and even the judiciary. Authorities said these scams are often run by cross-border syndicates, with money routed through mule accounts into international networks using cryptocurrency, and have also been flagged in public outreach efforts.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
