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Hyderabad Police cautions citizens against digital arrest fraud

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Hyderabad, Oct 14: After a 72-year-old woman in Hyderabad lost Rs 2.20 crore to fraudsters who threatened her with money laundering charges and displayed fake arrest warrant, Hyderabad Police has issued a fresh advisory cautioning citizens to stay alert against digital arrest fraud.

The woman, a resident of Nampally, received a video call from someone claiming to be a CBI officer, alleging that a parcel containing illegal drugs has been booked in the victim’s name and that a bank account linked to the victim is involved in money laundering.

The caller displayed a fake arrest warrant and threatened to arrest her. On the pretext of security deposits, the victim was forced to transfer multiple amounts to different mule accounts. The victim suffered a total financial loss of Rs 2.20 crore.

After this and a couple of other cases in which the victims lost Rs 3.15 crore, the police have strongly advised the general public to remain vigilant and not fall prey to cyber criminals.

M. Srinivasulu, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crimes & SIT), said in a press release on Wednesday that the Cyber Crime Police Station Hyderabad City, in coordination with the local police stations, has conducted several awareness programmes and door-to-door campaigns to educate citizens on digital arrest scams and their modus operandi, which contributed to a reduction in the number of reported digital arrest cases. However, a few such cases continue to be reported.

Digital arrest is a scam designed to extort money from victims using fear, deceit, and intimidation. Cyber criminals impersonate Police Officers, CBI, ED, Customs, TRAI, or other government authorities and threaten innocent citizens with arrest, criminal prosecution, or account freezing to coerce victims into paying a “fine” or “security deposit” to avoid legal action.

According to the police official, fraudsters contact victims through phone calls, WhatsApp, SMS, or video calls. They may claim that a mobile number, bank account, Aadhaar, parcel, or identity document has been linked to a criminal activity. The caller poses as an officer of the police, CBI, ED, NCB, customs, or another government agency. Fraudsters may use fake identity cards, forged notices, official-looking letterheads, logos, and fabricated case documents. They set up a fake police station with uniforms for video call backgrounds.

The victim is falsely accused of involvement in drug trafficking, money laundering, terror financing, illegal transactions, identity theft, or a money-laundering investigation. In some cases, the fraudster claims that a parcel containing illegal substances has been intercepted in the victim’s name.

The victim is instructed to remain on a continuous video call, stay alone in a room, keep the camera switched on, and avoid contacting family members, lawyers, or other persons. The fraudsters threaten immediate arrest, handcuffing, or harm to the victim’s reputation if instructions are disobeyed, the Additional Commissioner said.

Fraudsters demand bank statements, account balances, identity documents, and details of investments. They may send fabricated arrest warrants, court orders, or account-freezing notices to make the allegations appear genuine.

The victim is instructed to transfer money to designated bank accounts under the pretext of security deposits, verification of legitimate funds, bail, or temporary transfer of funds for investigation. If the funds are short, they coerce the victim to break the Fixed Deposits/Security bonds/apply for bank loans, etc. Fraudsters may promise to return the money after verification.

After receiving the money, the fraudsters may demand additional payments by inventing new charges or allegations. Eventually, they disconnect communications, block the victim, and become unreachable.

Additional Commissioner said citizens should educate their family members, particularly senior citizens and other vulnerable individuals, about digital arrest scams and their modus operandi. Family members should be advised to immediately inform a trusted family member whenever they receive such threatening calls or video calls and never transfer money or share financial or personal information under pressure.

Citizens have been urged not to panic if they receive threatening video calls or messages claiming to be from CBI, RBI, ED, Customs, Judiciary, Cyber Crime Police, Narcotics Bureau, FedEx, BSNL, TRAI, or similar agencies. No government agency or law enforcement authority will demand money over phone or video calls. There is no concept of “digital arrest” or online enquiry in the system.

They should end the suspicious call and contact the concerned agency through its officially published contact details. Do not allow the caller to isolate you or prevent you from seeking independent assistance. Always take support from your family members or a trusted person.

Save phone numbers, call logs, WhatsApp chats, video-call details, bank account information, transaction IDs, and screenshots to be taken immediately.

“If you fall victim to any such cyber fraud, immediate reporting can help in freezing and recovering part or all of your lost amount,” added the official.

Bollywood

Tiger Shroff firing case: MCOCA court sends gangster Anil Pandit’s sister-in-law to police custody till Nov 16

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A special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court here on Tuesday sent Suneha Pandit, the 13th accused arrested in connection with the firing incident on Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff, to police custody till November 16.

The Mumbai Crime Branch had arrested Suneha Pandit, the sister-in-law of gangster Anil Pandit, who had claimed responsibility for the October 18 firing case, from Haryana’s Karnal district.

She was produced before a special MCOCA court in Mumbai on Tuesday, where investigators sought her police custody for further questioning.

According to officials, Suneha Pandit is the wife of Abhishek, who allegedly operates a cryptocurrency account.

Funds have reportedly been received in this account from abroad, and investigators suspect that the money may be proceeds from extortion.

Abhishek Pandit is the brother of Anil Pandit and is accused of running two other groups along with his network and is said to handle payments for all operations.

The other accused persons in the firing case were assigned special codes through which Abhishek Pandit allegedly transferred money to them, police said.

The Mumbai Crime Branch had sought 15 days of police custody for Suneha Pandit.

However, her lawyer opposed the police custody request, arguing that the police have already obtained all the information they required.

The Mumbai Crime Branch also informed the court that the funds allegedly used in the Tiger Shroff firing case came from foreign sources.

In its order, the MCOCA court sent the accused woman to the custody of the Mumbai Crime Branch until November 16.

Last week, a special MCOCA court sent Amar, the 12th accused arrested from Haryana’s Sonipat, to police custody till November 6.

Prior to that, the MCOCA court had sent 11 other accused arrested in connection with the firing on Shroff’s car to police custody till November 6.

Amar was arrested from Rohna village in Sonipat.

According to officials, Amar is accused of having transferred money, allegedly used in the commission of the crime, online. The funds were reportedly used for various expenses, including the purchase of a motorcycle and booking hotel rooms linked to the case.

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Crime

Bank of Baroda ex-manager sentenced to four years in jail in CBI bribery case

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A CBI court in Lucknow has convicted and sentenced former Bank of Baroda branch manager Subodh Kumar Rastogi to four years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 in a bribery case dating back to 2015, an official statement said on Tuesday.

According to the statement, Rastogi, who was serving as the Branch Manager of Bank of Baroda’s Balrampur branch in Uttar Pradesh at the time of the offence, was found guilty of demanding and accepting illegal gratification from a borrower. The court delivered its judgment on November 2 after completing the trial.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered the case against Rastogi on October 26, 2015, based on a complaint filed by a businessman who had secured a loan of Rs 5 lakh from the bank for the expansion of his solar lights business.

The complainant alleged that while disbursing Rs 1.25 lakh as a term loan, the branch manager collected around Rs 25,000 under the pretext of chartered accountant fees, stamp paper charges and file processing expenses, the CBI said in the statement.

It was further alleged that after a cash credit limit of Rs 3.75 lakh was sanctioned, Rastogi demanded an additional bribe of Rs 25,000 and threatened to close the borrower’s account if the payment was not made.

Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap and caught the accused red-handed while allegedly accepting Rs 10,000 as illegal gratification from the complainant.

Following the investigation, the agency filed a charge sheet against Rastogi on December 18, 2015.

After examining the evidence and hearing the case from both sides, the court found him guilty and awarded the sentence, bringing the decade-old corruption case to a close.

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Crime

Rajasthan Police raid Naresh Meena ancestral home in Nahargarh forest office attack case

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The Rajasthan Police intensified their search for Naresh Meena, chief of the Bhagat Singh Sena and a farmers’ leader, in connection with the alleged attack on the Forest Department’s range office in Nahargarh town of Baran district, conducting a raid at his ancestral residence in Nayagaon on Tuesday.

However, Meena was not present at the house, and the police team returned empty-handed. Meena has announced through a social media post that he will surrender at the Nahargarh police station on November 6 at 5 p.m.

Meanwhile, police have arrested four other accused in the case and are conducting raids to trace the remaining suspects.

The case relates to an incident in which a group of people allegedly barged into the Forest Department’s range office, vandalised government property, assaulted forest personnel and took away a generator seized by the department.

Acting on the directions of Baran SP Abhishek Andasu, a special police team was constituted to apprehend Meena. The team included Atru Circle Officer Ramanand Yadav, Mothpur SHO Kamal Singh, Baran Sadar SHO Nawalkishore Meena and personnel from the District Special Team (DST). The team reached Meena’s ancestral residence in Nayagaon early Tuesday morning. However, he was not found there.

Police officials said efforts were underway to identify and apprehend others involved in vandalising government property, obstructing government officials from performing their duties, and allegedly threatening forest personnel.

Following the police raid, Meena posted a message on social media claiming that the police had reached his residence at 5 a.m. to arrest him. He announced that he would surrender at the Nahargarh police station on November 6 at 5 p.m. In the same post, he appealed to voters in Rajasthan to move beyond the Congress and BJP and support what he described as a Third Front. He urged people to vote for the BSP (elephant symbol) or the RLP (bottle symbol), support strong Independent candidates and vote for Left candidates in Sikar.

His announcement comes amid heightened political activity in the state ahead of the ongoing Panchayati Raj elections. The incident occurred on November 1 when Pradeep Singh Rathore, in charge of the Nahargarh forest check-post, along with a forest guard and other personnel, seized a generator allegedly being used for an illegal tubewell on forest land in Jhiri Tapra.

The generator was subsequently brought to the Forest Department’s range office. According to the allegations, Naresh Meena arrived at the office with hundreds of supporters, who allegedly threatened to set the premises on fire, assaulted forest personnel and tore badges and nameplates from their uniforms. They also allegedly damaged official documents, including the seizure panchnama, before taking away the confiscated generator in a mini transport vehicle. The incident reportedly caused significant damage to government property and led to a police investigation.

Nahargarh SHO Vivek Harsana said police had arrested four persons on Monday in connection with the incident. They were subsequently produced before a court and sent to jail. The arrested accused have been identified as Jitendra Nagar (36), a resident of Nahargarh; Devendra Kushwaha (22), a resident of Balapura; Pappu Bhil (25), a resident of Lakdai; and Murari Gurjar (20), a resident of Murari. Police said efforts were continuing to apprehend the remaining accused, including the main suspect, Naresh Meena.

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