A woman doctor from Gandhinagar has fallen victim to a sophisticated digital arrest scam, losing an astonishing Rs19.25 crore over a span of three months. The elaborate con took place between March 15 and June 25, and involved fraudsters impersonating high-ranking government officials.
Acting on her complaint filed on July 16, the CID (Crime) cybercrime cell traced the fraudulent money trail through 35 different bank accounts, leading to the arrest of Lalji Jayantibhai Baldaniya (30), a resident of Valthan, Surat. Authorities confirmed that Rs1 crore from the defrauded amount had been deposited into Baldaniya’s account.
According to investigators, Baldaniya had allowed cybercrime gangs to use his company’s bank account, registered under the name Murlidhar Manufacturing, in exchange for commission payments.
The victim’s ordeal began on March 15, when she was contacted by someone identifying themselves as Jyoti Vishwanath from the Department of Telecommunications. In the days that followed, she was added to WhatsApp and Skype video calls with individuals claiming to be a police sub-inspector, public prosecutors, and a notary officer.
They falsely accused her of being involved in a money laundering investigation, stating that her phone number had been linked to “offensive SMS” activity. They even sent her forged notices allegedly from the Directorate of Enforcement, accusing her of violating FEMA and PMLA laws.
“The scammers created extreme psychological pressure, telling her she would be arrested if she failed to cooperate or revealed any details,” said an official from the cybercrime cell.
Under the illusion of being under government surveillance, the doctor was placed under constant WhatsApp video watch. She was told plainclothes officers were monitoring her movements in real life.
Following instructions, she:
Broke her fixed deposits
Sold jewellery
Pledged gold kept in lockers
Even sold a property
Believing that the money was to be temporarily held by authorities, she ended up transferring ₹19.25 crore to various accounts controlled by the scammers.
The CID’s investigation continues, with officials attempting to identify the full network of cybercriminals and trace additional fund transfers.
