Mumbai: The sessions court has denied bail to a Bikaner man arrested for cheating a retired Navy officer through a ‘digital arrest’ scam. The accused, Ugraram Godara, 35, had allegedly impersonated a Delhi-based official and threatened the complainant, claiming his accounts were linked to a money laundering case involving former Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik.
Godara, arrested on April 8, had reportedly called the complainant on December 24, 2024, posing as someone from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. He claimed the officer’s Aadhaar was linked to a mobile number and bank account used for transferring money abroad. He then warned the officer that his identity was connected to the Nawab Malik case.
To intimidate him further, Godara made a video call from a different number and threatened to digitally arrest him. The complainant was coerced into transferring Rs 7.2 lakh as a ‘fine’ to cancel a fake warrant, failing which all his accounts would be frozen.
The Navy officer later discussed the incident with a friend, who helped him realise it was a cyber fraud. They contacted the cyber helpline and registered a complaint, leading to Godara’s arrest after investigation.
Police found that Godara had opened several bank accounts in names of local Bikaner residents, offering them commission. He allegedly told them the money was from a government scheme. His driver would withdraw the funds using ATM cards, keeping a share and handing over the rest.
While Godara claimed he received only Rs 22,500 and was being falsely implicated without direct evidence, the court rejected his plea, observing that the method used was more major than the amount. It said that cyber crimes are grave and harmful to the nation’s economy.
