Digital Arrest Fraud: Bihar doctor duped of Rs 19 lakh; accused arrested
Cyber Fraud
Ara: A doctor in Bihar's Ara district was allegedly duped of Rs 19 lakh in a digital arrest scam after being threatened with fabricated legal action and kept under psychological pressure by cybercriminals. The accused has been arrested by the cybercrime police, and further investigation is underway.
The cyber police of Bhojpur district arrested the accused from Vijay Nagar in New Delhi after remaining absconding for several months. Originally from Bharatpur in Rajasthan, Singh reportedly holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from a reputed law college in Jaipur, though police noted his attendance there had been irregular.
The Times of India reported that the victim, who is currently posted at Sadar Hospital in Ara, lodged a formal complaint on July 1, 2025. Addressing a press conference, DSP-cum-SHO of Bhojpur cyber police station Sneh Setu said, “In his complaint, the doctor stated that on June 26, he received a call from a person posing as an ATS officer. The caller claimed that an arrest warrant had been issued against him by a district court in Pune and even provided a fake case number. The fraudster ‘digitally arrested’ the doctor and threatened him with legal consequences, warning him not to inform anyone or step out of his house. He then coerced the doctor into transferring Rs19 lakh.”
The DSP added that, acting on the instructions of the Bhojpur Superintendent of Police, a special cyber police team was formed under his leadership to trace the accused.
“We had been tracking him for the past seven months, but he managed to evade arrest. This time, the team outsmarted him and arrested him in Delhi,” he said.
During the investigation, police also uncovered the alleged involvement of a deputy bank manager, who is suspected of being complicit. A notice has been issued to him in connection with the case.
The DSP explained the modus operandi and said that the accused would persuade bank officials to open multiple accounts under the pretext of business transactions and then channel the extorted funds into those accounts after placing victims under a so-called digital arrest.
During interrogation, Singh reportedly disclosed the names of several accomplices, whose roles are currently being verified.
