Hyderabad retiree loses ₹80 lakh in ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud
HYDERABAD: Cyber fraudsters posing as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) allegedly cheated a 76-year-old retired Central government employee of ₹80 lakh through a “digital arrest” scam, police said.
The victim, a retired government employee, lives in Kakatiya Colony under the limits of the LB Nagar police station in Ranga Reddy district.
According to the complaint, the victim received a call on March 5, 2026, from unknown number. The caller claimed to be from the telecom department and alleged that a mobile phone had been purchased in Mumbai on January 29, 2026 using the victim’s Aadhaar details as an alternate number.
The caller told him the number had been used to send illegal advertisements and harassment messages, and that a case, FIR No. 8819/0226 had been registered. The victim was further told that his Aadhaar details had been misused by a person identified as Naresh Goel for cybercrime activities.
Fake investigation and threats
The fraudsters then claimed the matter was being investigated by a person identifying himself as CBI officer Sachin Yadav. Under pressure, the victim continued interacting with them.
The caller alleged that a bank account had been opened in the victim’s name and used to transfer large sums of money, including funds from narcotic drug sales worth ₹2 crore.
Later, another individual who introduced himself as “Chief Investigation Officer” Ajay Gupta joined the call. He questioned the victim about a debit card allegedly issued by Canara Bank with a balance of ₹80,00,000, which the victim denied knowing about.
Fake court hearing staged online
The accused then sent a “bail form” through WhatsApp and instructed the victim to fill it out while maintaining secrecy. They also forced him to join a WhatsApp video call and record a statement before a person posing as a judge of a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court.
During the call, the fraudsters showed forged documents allegedly issued by the Supreme Court and threatened the victim with arrest and severe legal consequences.
Fearing legal action, the victim transferred ₹80 lakh to accounts provided by the fraudsters. He later realised he had been cheated and approached the police.
Based on the complaint, police registered a case and began an investigation into the cyber fraud.
