The Cyber Cell of the Central Regional Police station has arrested a Gujarat-based businessman, Ashish Kalubhai Hirpada, for allegedly duping a 73-year-old retired woman of ₹1.38 crore through an online scam. The accused allegedly threatened the victim with digital arrest under money laundering charges and manipulated her into transferring the amount. During the investigation, it was revealed that ₹45 lakh from the defrauded amount was deposited into Ashish’s bank account before being transferred to multiple other accounts. Following his arrest, a local court has sent him to police custody. Authorities suspect the involvement of other accused and are actively searching for them.
According to police, the 73-year-old complainant, a resident of Tardeo, Mumbai, had retired from the private company . On December 11, 2024, she received a phone call from an unknown person who falsely accused her of being involved in money laundering and other illegal activities through her mobile number. The caller then claimed that her mobile services would be disconnected for two hours and that she would be questioned by the Barakhamba police in Delhi.
Shortly after, another person contacted her, claiming to be from the CBI office in Delhi. He alleged that a ₹68 crore financial irregularity had occurred through her bank account and that she had received a 10% commission from the transaction. The caller even sent documents showing the transaction under her brother’s name. He then threatened that all her bank accounts would be frozen and began interrogating her over the phone.
The fraudster reassured her that, since she was a senior citizen, she would not be arrested but would be questioned every two hours. He also warned her not to contact anyone, answer phone calls, or leave her house until the inquiry was completed. The accused later conducted a video call with her, attempting to gather details about her bank accounts and properties. They then convinced her to transfer money to a designated account, falsely promising that she would get it back after the investigation.
Between December 13, 2024, and February 4, 2025, the woman transferred ₹1.38 crore in multiple transactions to the given bank account. However, after the transactions, the fraudsters stopped contacting her, and she never received her money back. When she tried reaching them through the mobile numbers they had used, she found them switched off.
The woman later informed her Chartered Accountant about the incident, who advised her to file a police complaint. Following her complaint on the Cyber Helpline and with the Cyber Cell of the Central Regional Department, an investigation was launched. Police found that part of the defrauded amount was transferred to the bank account of Ashish Hirpada, a resident of Surat, Gujarat.
Upon further investigation, a police team detained Ashish for questioning. His involvement in the fraud was confirmed, leading to his arrest. He was then brought to Mumbai for further investigation.
Ashish is a resident of Mota area of Surat. Out of the ₹1.38 crore fraud amount, ₹45 lakh was deposited into the bank account of a firm named Riva Creations before being transferred to various other accounts. The police are now tracing the final recipients of these funds.
During the search, police seized a mobile phone, bank cheques, rubber stamps of Riva Creations, and another company named TP Studio from Ashish. The investigation is ongoing, and police are working to identify and arrest other individuals in volved in the scam.