A shocking case of online fraud has surfaced in Mumbai’s Agripada area, where a 60-year-old businessman was duped of ₹53 lakh after conmen posing as government officials placed him under a so-called “digital arrest.”
According to police sources, the victim runs a logistics and clearing business in Dubai and frequently travels between India and the UAE. On November 3, he received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number. The caller introduced himself as “Rajiv Sinha,” an official from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), and alleged that a SIM card linked to the businessman’s Aadhaar card was used to send fraudulent messages. He further claimed that a case had been registered against him with Delhi Police and demanded his appearance within two hours.
A short while later, the businessman received a video call from another person claiming to be “Vijay Khanna,” a Delhi Police officer. This caller accused him of involvement in a money-laundering case and said that a bank account had been opened in his name in Delhi.
Soon after, a third individual joined the scam — posing as “Samadhan Pawar,” an SSP from the CBI and a government prosecutor. This imposter sent the businessman fake official documents over WhatsApp, carrying forged seals of the Government of India, Anti-Corruption Branch, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Frightened and confused, the businessman shared his bank details and business information with the scammers. He was then told that he was under “digital arrest,” meaning he was not allowed to leave his home and must remain on video call until his “bail hearing” the next morning.
The next day, the scammers staged a fake online court proceeding. A person pretending to be a “judge” appeared on the call and announced that the businessman’s bail was rejected and all his accounts were frozen. The businessman was then instructed to transfer his funds to “government-secured accounts” for safekeeping during the investigation.
Terrified, he transferred ₹50 lakh to an account under the name “Ahalya Enterprises” and another ₹3 lakh to “Amandeep Singh.” However, when the fraudsters demanded more money, he grew suspicious. Upon searching online for “SSP Samadhan Pawar,” he found multiple reports of digital arrest scams using the same name. Realizing he had been duped, he disconnected the call and filed a complaint with the National Cybercrime Helpline (1930).
The Central Region Cyber Police Station has now registered a case under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the IT Act against three unidentified suspects — Rajiv Sinha, Vijay Khanna, and Samadhan Pawar. Investigators are also tracing the bank account holders who received the transferred funds.