Posing as Chief Justice, conmen dupe man of Rs 1.2 crore in digital arrest scam

The accused falsely informed the victim that his bank account was linked to a money laundering case, citing a Rs 2 crore transaction from his account. They intimidated the elderly man, saying he could face a five-year jail term. 

In Short

• Accused threatened the man with five-year jail term claim
• Victim threatened with false money laundering charges
• Four arrested; scam traced to accounts in Gujarat, calls from Cambodia.

An elderly man was tricked into transferring Rs 1.26 crore in a digital arrest scam wherein the accused impersonated high-ranking officials, including the Chief Justice of India. The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Cell has arrested four individuals involved in this elaborate scam.

On October 10, the victim received a video call from the accused claiming to be a police officer, a CBI official, and the Chief Justice.

They falsely informed him that his bank account was linked to a money laundering case, citing a Rs 2 crore transaction from his account. The accused intimidated the elderly man, saying he could face a five-year jail term.

Using fear tactics, they convinced the elderly man that if he submitted a written request, they could request the Supreme Court to prioritise his case and prevent his arrest. They offered to conduct a 'digital investigation' via video call, during which they kept constant surveillance on him.

Under the guise of this investigation, the accused pressured the victim to break his fixed deposits and transfer the funds for 'verification', assuring him that the money would be returned within 48 hours. They presented a fake Supreme Court certificate to bolster their claims.

After the victim transferred the funds, the accused cut off all communication, leading him to realise he had been scammed. After realising that he had been cheated, the man reported the incident to the Cyber Crime Cell, following which an investigation was launched.

A top police official confirmed that the accused had identified themselves as IPS officers and conducted a digital arrest. The investigation revealed multiple accounts in which the victim's money had been transferred, with some located in Gujarat.

The four arrested suspects have been identified as Mohammad Hussain Javed Ali, Tarun Singh Vaghela, Brijesh Parekh, and Shubham Thakar. Thakar has been previously named in a cyber crime case and was earlier arrested by the Haryana Police.

The police believe that the number of accused in the case could be higher. The calls received by the victim were traced back to Cambodia.