Mumbai: Two Arrested in ₹1.25 Crore Cyber Fraud Under Pretext of ‘Digital Arrest’

The West Region Cyber Cell has arrested two persons from Jalgaon for allegedly aiding cyber fraudsters in duping a 72-year-old woman of around ₹1.25 crore under the guise of a “digital arrest”. The accused have been identified as Rohit Sonar and Hitesh Patil, both residents of Jalgaon.

According to police, the duo provided bank accounts to cyber fraudsters and helped transfer crores of rupees to criminals based abroad.

On 18 August, the elderly complainant, who resides in Mumbai’s western suburbs, received a call from an unknown person claiming to be Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjay Arora. The caller accused her of being involved in serious crimes such as money laundering.

The fraudsters also pretended to be officials from Mumbai Police, Delhi Police, and even the Bombay High Court, threatening her with imminent arrest. They told her she was under a “digital arrest” at her home and barred her from contacting anyone. Under pressure, she was convinced to share her bank details and transfer funds to several accounts.

Between 18 and 26 August 2028, the woman transferred around ₹1.25 crore into different bank accounts. However, after the transfers, she realised no official inquiry was being conducted, and the promised refund of her money never came. Upon realising she had been cheated, she filed a complaint with the Cyber Cell.

During the probe, police tracked the accounts where the money had been transferred. Part of the amount was found deposited in Rohit Sonar’s account, while Hitesh Patil had shared account details with cyber fraudsters based abroad. The duo received commission for helping route the funds to overseas accounts.

A team was dispatched to Jalgaon, where both suspects were detained. During interrogation, they admitted their involvement. They were brought to Mumbai for further investigation.