Nagpur: In yet another case of cyber fraud, a retired government officer from Nagpur was allegedly duped of ₹11.85 lakh by cyber criminals who threatened him with arrest, falsely claiming that a criminal case had been registered against him in Delhi over the purchase of an Ayurvedic medicine.

According to police, the victim, Arun B., is a retired employee of the Kamptee Panchayat Samiti and currently resides in the Hudkeshwar area of Nagpur. He maintains bank accounts with the Bank of India.

Investigators said that in December 2025, Arun had ordered an Ayurvedic medicine from Delhi. Shortly afterwards, he received a phone call from an unidentified person who claimed that the medicine he had purchased was a prohibited product and that a criminal case had been registered against him in Delhi.

The caller allegedly informed him that the matter was pending before the Delhi High Court and demanded money to “settle” and close the case. The fraudsters also threatened that if he failed to make the payment, police personnel would arrive at his residence and arrest him.

Alarmed by the threats, Arun complied with their instructions. The accused subsequently sent him forged court-related documents via WhatsApp, making the claims appear authentic.

Believing the documents to be genuine, the retired officer shared the required details and followed the instructions of the callers. The cyber criminals then allegedly siphoned off ₹11.85 lakh from his bank accounts.

Upon realising that he had been cheated, Arun approached the Cyber Police Station, Nagpur, and lodged a complaint. Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to identify and trace the accused.

The incident once again highlights the growing menace of digital arrest scams and fake legal notices, with police urging citizens not to transfer money based on threats received over phone calls or messaging apps and to verify such claims with authorities before taking any action.