The Charkop Police have arrested Bhagataram Devashi and Kamlesh Chaudhary, two fraudsters who deceived a 71-year-old woman in Kandivali by posing as a police officer and a lawyer. The duo extorted Rs 9.75 lakh from the victim by threatening her with a ‘digital arrest’.
The scam began on January 15, when the woman received a video call from an unknown person claiming that her bank account was involved in a financial scam. The caller warned her that the account would be frozen, and legal action had already been initiated. She was further threatened that a digital arrest would take place if she did not comply.
Soon after, another person, posing as a lawyer, contacted her and assured her that they could help resolve the matter, but they demanded Rs 9.75 lakh for their assistance. The victim, fearing legal trouble, transferred the money to the provided bank account, believing that the funds would be refunded after the inquiry.
However, after the payment, the accused did not return the money or conduct any inquiry. Realizing she had been scammed, the woman filed an online police complaint through the Mumbai Police’s official portal.
Following her complaint, the Charkop Police launched a special operation and arrested the accused, who had been on the run for two months. The suspects, Bhagataram Devashi and Kamlesh Chaudhary, were brought before the Borivali local court, where they were remanded to police custody. Authorities are now investigating whether the duo is involved in other similar fraud cases.
