Status: Not ApprovedHEAD: 25_Kol_PM_Sanjib digital arrestByline: Prithvijit MitraRetired railway official lost rs 48 lakh in digital arrest scam in nagerbazarKolkata: A 68-year-old retired railway official from Nagerbazar in Dum Dum lost Rs 48 lakh after falling victim to a “digital arrest” cyber fraud while his daughter was studying cyber law in England.According to police sources, the fraudsters told him that his SIM card was used in a Delhi blast case and that Rs 8 lakh was credited to his bank account in connection with the crime.The former railway official fell prey to the fraudsters on February 18, but, terrified by threats of a “digital arrest”, he approached the police only on Tuesday.Police launched an investigation.“Claiming that an arrest warrant was issued in his name, they threatened that he must reach Delhi within an hour or Kolkata Police would arrest him and his family members. The cyber fraudsters also threatened him with arrest over a fabricated terror charge,” a senior police officer of the Barrackpore Commissionerate said.The victim, a resident of MC Garden Road under Nagabazar police station, lives with his wife, a schoolteacher, and their younger daughter, aged 15. His elder daughter is pursuing a course in cyber law at a university in England. According to the complaint lodged with the police, the incident began on February 18 when the retired official received a phone call from a person claiming to be an officer of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The caller alleged that a SIM card issued in his name was used in a Delhi blast and that Rs 8 lakh was deposited into his bank account in return for aiding terrorists.“The fraudsters further claimed that, based on ‘evidence’ gathered during the investigation, a warrant was issued against me. A fake copy of the arrest warrant was also sent to me. I was warned that I must appear in Delhi within an hour, failing which the Kolkata Police Special Branch would arrest me and even detain my wife and daughters,” the former railway official said in his complaint.Terrified by the threats, the elderly man was told that he was being placed under “digital arrest”. “During a video call, the fraudsters showed me what appeared to be a police station setup, impersonators posing as CBI officials, and various fabricated documents to make the threat appear credible,” he said.He was then told that, to avoid arrest, he would have to pay a “fine” by transferring all the money in his bank account. The scammers assured him that, after the completion of the “investigation” and necessary clearance from the court and the Reserve Bank of India, the amount would be refunded after deducting a nominal penalty.“Fearing social disgrace and legal consequences, the victim went to his bank and began transferring money via RTGS. After the first transaction, bank officials questioned him about the purpose and recipient of the transfer. Nagabazar police earlier circulated advisories to banks in the area in view of a spate of digital arrest scams,” an investigating officer said.However, in an attempt to keep the matter confidential, the victim told bank staff that he was sending money to his daughter and asked them not to interfere.Meanwhile, the younger daughter came to know about the situation and informed her elder sister in England through Instagram. The elder daughter immediately called home and identified the entire episode as a cyber fraud. She strongly advised her father to stop the transactions and report the matter to the police.Following her intervention, the retired official went to Nagabazar police station on Tuesday and lodged a complaint stating the entire fraudulent matter. Police initiated an investigation into the incident. MSID:: 128780988 413 |
