Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Cyber fraudsters impersonating officers of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) accused senior advocate Shamsul Hasan, a resident of Housing Board Colony, Koh-e-Fiza, of involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack. They allegedly ‘digitally arrested’ him through a video call lasting nearly three hours.
The lawyer narrowly escaped being duped when his vigilant son alerted the Koh-e-Fiza police, leading to timely intervention.
The incident took place around 3.30 pm on Sunday, when Hasan received a phone call from a person claiming to be an ATS officer from Pune. The caller alleged that Hasan’s name had surfaced in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack. Disturbed by the accusation, Hasan returned home and shared the matter with his son.
Moments later, a video call came through. A man in a police uniform introduced himself as an investigating officer and informed Hasan that a ‘digital arrest’ procedure was being initiated. He pressured Hasan to give a video statement and follow his instructions online.
Sensing something foul, Hasan’s son contacted the Koh-e-Fiza police. Within minutes, a team reached the house. As soon as the police arrived, the fraudsters abruptly disconnected the call and blocked Hasan’s number.
In-charge at Koh-e-Fiza police station, Krishna Gopal Shukla said a sub-inspector made a call on the number, but it went unanswered. The phone number is under verification, and the case has been forwarded to the Cyber Cell for further investigation.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the call originated from a fraud network operating outside the city. There is no such thing as a ‘digital arrest’, and it is a trick being used by cyber criminals to extort money, Shukla added.
