Nagpur: A 57-year-old retired government officer from Jamtha in Nagpur was allegedly cheated of ₹10,00,047 by cyber fraudsters who impersonated police officials, threatened him with arrest in a fabricated terrorism case and kept him under what is known as a “digital arrest”.
According to the complaint registered on October 12, 2026, the incident occurred between October 1 and October 8 at the victim’s residence in Vrindavan City, Jamtha.
The complainant, identified as Sanjay Natthuji Londekar, received a phone call from an unknown number while he was at home. The caller allegedly introduced himself as Keshav Jadhav from the Mumbai Police Headquarters. Subsequently, the fraudsters arranged a WhatsApp video call in which a person wearing a police uniform appeared, lending credibility to their claims.
The accused allegedly told Londekar that his Aadhaar card had been found at the site of a terrorist attack in Kashmir. They further claimed that he was linked to anti-national activities and that a fraudulent loan worth ₹7 crore had been taken from HSBC bank in his name.
To intimidate him, the fraudsters allegedly sent fake arrest warrants and forged documents purportedly issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) through WhatsApp. They warned him against leaving his home and threatened him with legal action, effectively placing him under digital arrest.
Under sustained psychological pressure, the victim allegedly transferred ₹10,00,047 from his State Bank of India (SBI) account through an RTGS transaction on October 8, as instructed by the fraudsters.
The accused reportedly impersonated senior police and investigative officials to create fear and convince the victim that he was facing a serious criminal investigation. After realising that he had been cheated, the retired officer approached the police.
A case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. The accused had not been arrested at the time of the complaint, and further investigation is underway.
What is a digital arrest scam?
In a digital arrest scam, cybercriminals pose as police officers or officials of investigative agencies, accuse victims of involvement in serious crimes and threaten them with arrest through phone or video calls. They often use forged official documents and intimidation to pressure victims into transferring money.
Police have cautioned citizens that there is no legal procedure for placing someone under “digital arrest”. People should not transfer money in response to such threats and should independently verify claims with the relevant authorities. Suspected cyber fraud can be reported by calling the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
