Man held for duping senior citizen of Rs 20 lakh in 'digital arrest'

Hyderabad: A 42-year-old man has been arrested by the cyber crime Unit of Hyderabad police for allegedly being involved in digital arrest fraud that duped a senior citizen of nearly Rs 20 lakh.

The accused has been identified as Ranjit Kumar, a software employee and native of Uttar Pradesh. He was involved with multiple cyber fraud cases, including four across India and two in Telangana.

According to reports, the case came to light when a 72-year-old retired government employee from Hyderabad received a call from a person claiming to be from Mumbai Airport. The caller alleged that a parcel in his name, containing narcotics, was intercepted and falsely connected him to illegal activities. The victim was then directed to speak with bogus officials from the Narcotics Department and Mumbai Crime Branch, who further pressured him into sharing personal details and depositing Rs 19.61 lakh for a supposed investigation clearance.

Also Read

The accused used internet-based platforms like WhatsApp, Skype, and Telegram for communication, impersonating government officials from agencies such as the CBI, ED, TRAI, and others. Victims were threatened with false accusations, including terrorism, narcotics smuggling, and money laundering, and coerced into transferring large sums of money.

Upon arrest, police seized one mobile phone and an IDBI chequebook from the accused.

A case has been registered, and further investigation is ongoing.

Get the latest updates in , , , , and on & by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for and .