In a dramatic development, the Gujarat State Cyber Crime Cell arrested Chetan Ganpat Kokre, a 27-year-old Mumbai resident, in connection with a Rs3.99 crore cyber extortion scam targeting a prominent doctor from Ahmedabad. Kokre was apprehended in the Gitanagar area of Colaba, Mumbai, after being identified as a key player in a transnational racket.
The scam, which began in July 2024, saw the doctor fall victim to an elaborate scheme orchestrated by a gang posing as law enforcement officials and corporate representatives. The group used a fabricated narrative to manipulate the doctor into believing he was involved in a criminal case, with the ultimate goal of extorting money.
For over ten days, the victim was subjected to a “digital arrest”, a non-existent legal concept invented by the scammers to create fear and pressure. Kokre, acting as a fake FedEx employee, informed the doctor about a suspicious parcel supposedly sent in his name. The parcel allegedly contained passports, credit cards, a laptop, clothes, and 750 grams of MDM, a controlled substance.
When the doctor denied any knowledge of the parcel, the gang escalated the pressure by weaponizing personal information gathered from the victim’s social media profiles. The scammers then connected the doctor to fake police officers, including “DCP Anand Rana” and “Milind Barmad” from the Mumbai Crime Branch. These impersonators falsely claimed to be investigating the matter, further threatening the doctor with criminal charges.
To maintain anonymity, the gang used Skype calls to communicate with the victim, inducing panic and urgency. The doctor was coerced into transferring ₹3.99 crore over ten days, believing the payments were necessary to resolve the fabricated charges and clear his name.
Following the doctor’s complaint, the Gujarat CID Crime Team launched a detailed investigation. Technical analysis and electronic trail mapping led them to Kokre, who was residing in Colaba and was reportedly a student. During his arrest, authorities seized critical evidence, including two mobile phones, four ATM cards, two credit cards, and four chequebooks.
Dharmendra Sharma, Superintendent of Police (CID Crime and Railways), revealed the scale of the operation. “The gang operates with a team of over 45 members based in Cambodia. They impersonate law enforcement officers and target high-profile individuals. Kokre would receive leads on potential victims from a third party and then filter targets using social media to ensure maximum success,” Sharma stated.
Kokre’s arrest marks a significant step in dismantling the criminal network behind this sophisticated scam, which has exploited the trust and fear of high-profile individuals to siphon off vast sums of money.
