Retired scientist loses Rs 1.25 cr to digital arrest scam; 11 held

NEW DELHI: A 69-year-old retired scientist and former director in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology was allegedly cheated of Rs 1.25 crore in a digital arrest scam, prompting an investigation that led to the busting of an alleged international syndicate linked to handlers in Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries, officials said on Tuesday.

The Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of Delhi Police also secured Rs 7.25 crore in a separate digital arrest case involving a 79-year-old man in Andhra Pradesh and placed a hold on Rs 1.96 crore in bank accounts linked to ongoing fraud investigations, they said.

The investigation began after Pradeep Kumar Das, a retired scientist and former Director in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, alleged that he was cheated of Rs 1.25 crore in a digital arrest scam, police said.

On August 14, he received a call from persons posing as officers of the Delhi Police, the Anti-Terrorism Squad and the National Investigation Agency. They allegedly claimed that his Aadhaar details had been misused in a money-laundering case and threatened him with arrest.

Under the pretext of verifying his funds, the accused allegedly obtained his bank details and induced him to transfer Rs 1,25,09,000 through RTGS to three bank accounts. They also allegedly kept him under continuous video surveillance and controlled his movements, police said.

An FIR was registered at the Special Cell police station, and an investigation was launched to trace the money trail and identify those involved.

During the investigation, police received information that a group was arranging bank accounts for use in cybercrime and operating a bank account in the name of M/s MR Traders. Police raided a premises near Ramphal Chowk in Dwarka's Sector 7, where five men were found staying.

The accused were identified as Md Mahfuzar Rahman, 41, Izhar Alam, 34, Altaf Hussain, 45, Intekhab, 27, and Anish Khan, 31. They were allegedly operating the bank account to facilitate cyber fraud transactions.

An examination of the seized mobile phones revealed Telegram chats and a suspicious application named "SMS Tools", which investigators suspect was configured to automatically forward SMS messages, including one-time passwords (OTPs), to people involved in cybercrime activities operating from abroad.

Anish Khan allegedly acted as the main handler, coordinating with foreign-based associates through Telegram and managing the bank account used for the transactions. He allegedly received a commission of 5.5 per cent in USDT, a cryptocurrency, which was converted into Indian rupees through cryptocurrency exchanges and platforms, police said.

Izhar Alam allegedly introduced the account holder to Altaf Hussain, who arranged mule bank accounts through Telegram. Intekhab allegedly coordinated the group's travel and accommodation in Delhi and kept watch over the account holder during their stay, investigators said.

Police said six other accused were arrested in connection with the case involving Das. They were identified as Neeraj Kumar Mittal, Kanwar Pal, Saif Ali Khan, Ranbir, Prabhat Rai alias Ashutosh and Anil Sagu alias Krishna. The accused allegedly played different roles in providing bank accounts, facilitating transactions and collecting and distributing commissions.

The investigation has also helped police trace links to cyber fraud cases registered in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.

In a case registered by the Cyber Crime Police Station in Vijayawada, a 79-year-old man, Boppana Baparao, was allegedly cheated of Rs 10.25 crore through a digital arrest scam. Following prompt intervention and coordination with the Andhra Pradesh Police, Rs 7.25 crore of the defrauded amount was secured or frozen.

In another case registered in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district, a complainant was allegedly cheated of Rs 21 lakh on the false promise of high returns on an investment. The entire amount was credited to the bank account held in the name of M/s MR Traders, police said.

Around Rs 5 lakh had been transferred to other accounts before the account could be frozen, following which steps were initiated to trace the diverted funds.

The accused have also been linked to a separate digital arrest case registered by the Delhi Police in June, in which a complainant was allegedly cheated of Rs 77 lakh. Further investigation in the case is underway.

Police seized six mobile phones containing chats, cryptocurrency transaction records and other digital evidence, along with a cheque book linked to the bank account under investigation.

Investigators have identified seven online channels allegedly used for the sale and purchase of mule bank accounts. Analysis of the chats and other digital evidence has revealed links to 78 complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal across different states, involving a total of Rs 73 crore, officials said.

Further investigation is underway to trace the money trail, identify additional members of the syndicate and establish the role of foreign-based handlers, they added.