A shocking case of cyber fraud has come to light from Kanjurmarg in Mumbai, where a 77-year-old retired officer and his wife were allegedly duped of ₹2.84 crore by fraudsters who threatened them with fake terror links. The accused reportedly placed the couple under a so-called “digital arrest” and posed as officials from the Mumbai Police, ATS, and NIA, even misusing the name of senior IPS officer Sadanand Date to execute the scam.
According to an FIR registered with the Cyber Police (East Region), the fraud began on December 16, 2025. The victim stated that his wife, a retired Senior Personal Assistant from the Maharashtra Government’s Cooperation Department, received a call from a person claiming to be Police Inspector Ranjit Kumar. The caller alleged that her Aadhaar card was linked to a bank account associated with a terrorist organisation and that the Lucknow ATS was investigating the matter. The fraudsters further claimed that 90 terrorist had been arrested, and one of them was found in possession of her Aadhaar details.
The accused, introducing themselves as ATS officers ‘Premkumar Gautam’ and ‘Ajay Srivastava’, began intimidating the couple. They sent fake “Confidentiality Agreements” of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) via WhatsApp, bearing forged signatures of the agency’s Director General, Sadanand Date. Additionally, fake letters in the name of RBI Deputy Governor Poonam Gupta were also shared to make the scam appear legitimate.
‘Digital Arrest’ via Signal App
The fraudsters forced the victims to download the Signal messaging app and instructed them to remain confined at home, effectively placing them under “digital arrest”. The couple was ordered to send a message every four hours stating, “We are safe with national security.” They were also threatened with dire consequences if they informed their children or anyone else about the situation.
Under the pretext of investigation and verification, the accused coerced the victims into transferring all funds from their bank accounts to accounts provided by them. Out of fear, the couple transferred a total of ₹2.84 crore in multiple transactions via RTGS.
The scam came to light when the fraudsters became unreachable after receiving the money. Realising they had been cheated, the victims approached the NIA office at Peddar Road, where officials informed them that it was a case of cyber fraud. Subsequently, a complaint was lodged on the Cyber Police helpline (1930).
Mumbai Cyber Police have initiated an investigation and are tracing the bank accounts and mobile numbers used in executing the large-scale fraud.