Palghar, Maharashtra: Palghar police have apprehended eight individuals, including three siblings, from Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Bihar for allegedly extorting a staggering ₹3.5 crore from a senior citizen through a sophisticated digital arrest scam. The arrests were confirmed by an official on Wednesday.
In a significant breakthrough, police have also managed to freeze ₹22 lakh of the ill-gotten money, which was parked in various bank accounts.
The 'digital arrest' is a deceptive cybercrime tactic where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officials to convince victims they are under arrest for fabricated offenses, ultimately extorting money to avoid supposed legal repercussions.
The elderly resident of Palghar district fell victim to this scam between December 18, 2024 and February 10, 2025. According to Palghar Superintendent of Police (Rural) Balasaheb Patil, the victim initially received a call from someone posing as a Mumbai police officer. This impersonator accused the senior citizen of involvement in illegal advertising and harassment.
The deception escalated when another individual, claiming to be a CBI lawyer, joined the call. The fraudsters then threatened the victim with arrest and coerced him into transferring a massive sum of ₹3.5 crore to multiple bank accounts under the guise of preventing legal action and potential harm to his daughter.
Superintendent Patil stated that the police meticulously worked on various leads and intelligence to track down the eight individuals involved in this elaborate crime. The coordinated operation led to the arrest of four suspects in Nagpur, three in Ankleshwar, Gujarat, and one in Bantara, Aurangabad, Bihar.
Seven of the arrested individuals have been remanded in police custody until April 9. The suspect apprehended in Bihar was scheduled to be presented before the court on Wednesday. The police are continuing their investigation into the case, including tracing the remaining extorted funds.
