In a major breakthrough, Srikakulam police arrested three cybercriminals who impersonated police officers to extort Rs13.5 lakh from a woman professor under the pretext of a fake criminal investigation linked to her Aadhaar card.
The accused were identified as Ruman Shariff (31) from Karnataka and Noufala Sherin (24) and Najumudhdeen Chakla Thoppu (28) from Kozhikode, Kerala.
On May 14, 2025, the gang called a professor from a local medical college, claiming to be officers from Karnataka Police. They falsely told her that her Aadhaar number was linked to a human trafficking case registered by the CBI and she could be digitally arrested unless she paid legal fees.
Fearful and pressured, the professor transferred Rs13.5 lakh to several bank accounts shared by the scammers. Once the money was received, the fraudsters cut off all communication.
Following a complaint lodged the same day, Srikakulam One-Town Police launched an investigation, tracing digital footprints and bank transactions. The accused were nabbed from different locations, and Rs6 lakh in cash and three mobile phones were recovered.
Police confirmed the scam as a form of “digital arrest” fraud, where victims are duped by threats of fake police or legal action. Authorities clarified that digital arrests do not exist in Indian law and urged the public to report such incidents to the Cyber Helpline (1930) immediately.
