On June 23, 2025, a Lucknow resident received a life-altering phone call. The caller, posing as a CBI officer, accused the victim of being involved in serious financial crimes using their mobile number and Aadhaar card. To intensify the pressure, the scammer connected the victim to a supposed “Andheri East Police Station” via WhatsApp call where another impersonator in police uniform appeared live on video.
What followed was a well-orchestrated psychological attack: the victim was told to remain alone in a room, avoid contact with family, and appear on camera. Under the pretext of “judicial orders” and a supposed “digital arrest,” the victim was coerced into transferring ₹47 lakh to protect their reputation and avoid jail.
The scammers didn’t stop at threats. They sent fake arrest warrants and court seizure orders via messaging apps to make the scheme appear official. The entire operation mimicked real law enforcement procedures so convincingly that it led the victim to surrender large sums over multiple bank transfers.
From Fear to Crypto: The Money Trail Leads to Odisha
Upon receiving the complaint, the Lucknow Cyber Crime Police Station (Case No. 100/2025) launched a swift investigation, invoking provisions from the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the IT Act, including Sections 66D, 84B, and Aadhaar Act violations.
With technical surveillance and digital forensics, the police tracked down two accused from Kendujhar and Balasore districts in Odisha Ranjit Kumar Behera and Jayant Kumar Sahu who were arrested on July 4.
During interrogation, the duo revealed how they created corporate credit cards using false identities, registered their own mobile numbers, and used ICICI’s corporate net banking and payment gateways like Run Paisa to launder the stolen money. The funds were then converted into USDT cryptocurrency, making it harder to trace.
In one instance alone, ₹27 lakh was transferred to a shell firm named Trinav Digital Pvt Ltd, with follow-up transactions shared via WhatsApp to co-conspirators. These details were crucial in tracking the crypto chain and freezing parts of the laundered money.
Tech-Savvy Thugs and a Wake-Up Call for Citizens
What makes this case particularly dangerous is its blend of tech-savviness and psychological exploitation. These weren’t your average phone scammers they used Skype, fake police station video setups, and court documents to simulate reality. Victims were pressured to digitally “surrender” through webcam calls and even told to confine themselves to rooms as part of their “virtual detention.”
The arrested individuals had access to multiple identity documents, mobile phones used in the fraud, and ₹1.27 lakh in cash evidence now central to building the case.
The operation was led by Inspector Brijesh Kumar Yadav and a multi-agency cyber cell team from Lucknow. Their coordination across state lines and rapid digital tracing highlight the growing sophistication and urgency of modern cybercrime response.