In a significant crackdown on cyber fraud, the North Regional Cyber Cell has arrested a 25-year-old accused, identified as Jugal Kashyapbhai Manek, for allegedly assisting cyber fraudsters in cheating a senior citizen of ₹76 lakh by threatening him with a so-called “digital arrest.”
The accused, a resident of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, was apprehended after investigations revealed that he had provided bank accounts to cyber criminals, which were used to receive the defrauded money. A portion of the amount was traced to his bank account.
According to police officials, the 74-year-old complainant, a retired resident of Dahisar, was targeted on January 27 while he was at home. He received a phone call from a person claiming to be Ajay Patil from Rajendranagar Police Station in Bengaluru. The caller falsely informed him that a criminal case had been registered against him and asked him to appear for questioning.
When the elderly man expressed his inability to visit due to his age, the caller began interrogating him over the phone. Subsequently, a woman identifying herself as Navjot Simmi, posing as a CBI officer, joined the conversation.
The fraudsters alleged that a woman had filed a complaint accusing the victim of abusing her daughter through phone calls. They threatened him with arrest and sent fake documents bearing stamps of the Income Tax Department and the Reserve Bank of India to make their claims appear genuine.
The victim was warned not to discuss the matter with anyone and was threatened with seven years of imprisonment and a penalty of ₹58.86 lakh if he failed to cooperate. Under pressure, he was persuaded to share his bank details and transfer money for “investigation purposes.”
Fearing arrest, the victim transferred ₹76 lakh in multiple transactions to different bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. The accused had promised that the money would be refunded after verification, but neither was the amount returned nor was any further communication made.
Suspecting foul play, the victim approached the North Cyber Cell, which registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act.
During the investigation, police traced the الأموال to multiple bank accounts, including one linked to Jugal Manek. A team led by Police Inspector Kiran Aher tracked him down and took him into custody from Ahmedabad.
During interrogation, Manek confessed to opening and providing bank accounts to cyber fraudsters, through which the defrauded money was routed. He also admitted to transferring the रकम to the fraudsters in exchange for a commission.
Further investigation into the case is underway.