A retired elderly man in Vadodara, Gujarat, was allegedly held under an 18-day “digital arrest” by an organised cybercrime syndicate that cheated him of ₹1.47 crore by impersonating top government and law enforcement officials. The case is being described as one of the most psychologically manipulative cyber frauds involving sustained coercion through video calls and forged legal documents.
According to the complaint, the ordeal began on March 10, 2026, when the victim received a call from an unknown number. The caller introduced himself as “Manav Sharma,” an officer from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), and claimed that an illegal mobile connection had been activated using the victim’s Aadhaar credentials, allegedly linked to objectionable and unlawful activities.
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Shortly after, the victim was connected to another caller claiming to be from the Mumbai Crime Branch. The situation escalated further when a WhatsApp video call was initiated by a man identifying himself as “Vijay Prakash,” a CBI officer, who alleged that a bank account in the victim’s name had been involved in money laundering transactions worth ₹538 crore.
To intensify fear, the fraudsters reportedly sent fabricated FIR copies, forged CBI notices, and even fake Supreme Court documents. They repeatedly warned the victim of immediate arrest, property seizure, and severe legal consequences if he failed to comply with their instructions.
Investigators said the scam involved multiple individuals posing as CBI officers, IPS officials, lawyers, and judges, all participating in coordinated video calls to maintain continuous psychological pressure. The victim and his wife were allegedly instructed not to inform anyone and to remain available on call at all times.
Authorities confirmed that this “digital arrest” continued from March 10 to March 27, during which the victim was subjected to video calls every two hours. This sustained isolation and intimidation left the elderly couple in constant fear and confusion, effectively cutting them off from external support.
Under pressure, the victim was coerced into liquidating his savings. He was instructed to break fixed deposits, close insurance policies, and convert investments into liquid funds before transferring the money into accounts provided by the accused. The fraudsters carefully guided each transaction to avoid immediate detection.
On March 19, more than ₹1.40 crore was transferred via RTGS from an SBI account, followed by another ₹19 lakh on March 27, bringing the total amount siphoned off to approximately ₹1.59 crore. Despite receiving the funds, the accused allegedly continued demanding additional money.
The scam came to light when bank officials noticed suspicious transactions and alerted the victim’s daughter. Upon questioning her father, she uncovered the entire sequence of events and realised that he had been trapped in a sophisticated cyber fraud operation. She immediately advised filing a complaint on the national cybercrime helpline 1930.
Following prompt action by authorities, a portion of the funds was frozen, resulting in a recovery of ₹11.36 lakh. However, the majority of the stolen money, approximately ₹1.47 crore, remains unrecovered.
Vadodara Cyber Crime Police have registered a case and initiated a detailed investigation into the money trail and the broader network behind the fraud. Officials believe the syndicate may have nationwide and possibly international links, operating through fake identities and coordinated communication systems.
Cyber experts say “digital arrest” scams are becoming increasingly common, where fraudsters exploit fear of law enforcement to psychologically control victims and extract large sums of money. These scams often involve continuous monitoring, scripted threats, and forged legal documentation to appear authentic.
Police have urged citizens to remain cautious of calls or messages claiming to be from government agencies and to immediately verify such claims through official channels or cybercrime helplines before taking any action.
