Two men from Sirsa, Haryana — identified as Kuldeep Singh (25) and Monu (36) — were arrested in connection with a digital arrest fraud targeting a senior citizen woman from Salt Lake, Kolkata. The fraud, which occurred in November last year, resulted in the victim losing nearly Rs25 lakh, police said on Wednesday.
Initial investigation revealed the accused had collectively received nearly Rs1 crore through similar digital fraud schemes before their arrest. The Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Unit, which is leading the investigation, suspects that the duo is linked to multiple cyber fraud cases across Kolkata and other Indian states.
“The suspects were first presented in a local Haryana court for transit remand and then transferred to Bidhannagar jurisdiction,” said an investigating officer.
The fraudsters allegedly used cheque-based fund transfers to collect scam money from victims, cleverly masking their identities and avoiding instant detection.
Following their transfer to Bidhannagar court, the accused were remanded to police custody for further questioning. Investigators believe the accused were part of a larger cybercrime network operating out of Haryana and Rajasthan, specializing in digital arrest scams — a technique where victims are falsely told they are under legal threat and coerced into transferring large sums under fear of arrest.
“We are mapping financial trails and identifying additional accounts used in this fraud. Similar fraud patterns have emerged from other districts as well,” said a cybercrime official.
