Delhi Police bust digital arrest scam; 2 held for duping doctor of ₹14.85 lakh

Two individuals, one from Bengaluru and the other from Kolkata, have been arrested by the Delhi Police for their involvement in a sophisticated “digital arrest” scam, officials said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Mohammad Sahin Khan and Budhadeb Hazara, allegedly extorted ₹14.85 lakh from a Delhi-based doctor by posing as government officials.

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Khan was apprehended near Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru on July 2, while Hazara, an MBA graduate, was later arrested in Kolkata.

The scam came to light after the doctor filed a complaint alleging that he had been defrauded of ₹14.85 lakh. Acting on the complaint, a case was registered and an investigation launched.

According to a senior police officer, the investigation revealed that the bank accounts used in this case were linked to at least 10 other similar frauds reported across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka.

“All these cases followed a similar modus operandi involving fake digital arrest threats and extortion,” the officer said.

In his statement, the doctor told police that he received a phone call from someone impersonating a government official, who pressured him into transferring the money by threatening him with a “digital arrest.”

Following the money trail from the transaction, which occurred on February 26, 2024, investigators traced the funds to a bank account registered under a fake address in the name of S K Rice Wholesaler & Trading.

“Using technical surveillance and digital tracking, we located the suspects in Bengaluru,” the officer added.

During interrogation, Khan confessed to providing his bank account credentials, chequebook, and ATM card to Hazara in exchange for a commission of ₹1.5 lakh.

Hazara admitted to previously working in the loan departments of various banks before being lured into online fraud by an individual named John from Barrackpore, West Bengal. He also confessed to receiving ₹3 lakh for using Khan’s bank account, which he split equally with him.

Efforts are underway to trace the main handler, John, along with other suspects believed to be part of the wider cybercrime network. Police are also working to recover the defrauded amount and examine the financial links of the accused.

Four mobile phones—two from each accused—have been seized and are being analysed for further leads.

A case has been registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 170 (impersonating a public servant), 384 (extortion), 388 (extortion by threat of accusation), 420 (cheating), and 120B (criminal conspiracy).