A man involved in a digital arrest impersonation fraud that led to the loss of Rs1.22 crore by a 40-year-old woman in Hyderabad has been arrested by the Hyderabad cybercrime police in Pune on Saturday.
The victim, a resident of Hyderabad, received an automated call on September 2, claiming to be from the Delhi High Court. The call was transferred to an individual who identified himself as Gaurav Shukla, a head constable at the RC Puram police station in Delhi. Shukla falsely informed the victim that money laundering transactions amounting to Rs25 lakh had been carried out through her bank account.
The victim was then connected to another person, who introduced himself as DCP Rajesh Deo, and claimed that she was under investigation for money laundering. In a frightening twist, the victim was told that she would be subjected to a “digital arrest” and placed under house arrest for five days, during which she was constantly surveilled via Skype and WhatsApp.
Under extreme pressure, the victim was coerced into sharing her personal identification documents and transferring over Rs1.22 crore to various fraudulent accounts, believing that this was necessary to resolve the case and avoid legal action.
After realizing she had been duped, the woman approached the authorities, and the Hyderabad cybercrime police launched an investigation. The police traced the fraudsters’ location to Pune, where they arrested Gaurav Shukla, who is now under investigation for his role in the scam. Authorities believe that more individuals may be involved, and the investigation is ongoing.