Digital Arrest Scam: Retired Delhi doctor couple loses Rs 14 crore

New Delhi: In one of the major cyber fraud cases, an elderly doctor couple residing in south Delhi's Greater Kailash was allegedly cheated of nearly Rs 14 crore after being kept under ''digital arrest'' for over two weeks, police said on Saturday.

According to the police, the doctor couple had returned from the United States and had been living in Greater Kailash since 2016. Their children are settled abroad.

The fraud allegedly took place between December 24 and January 9, with the accused impersonating law enforcement officials and coercing the elderly doctor couple to transfer money to multiple bank accounts, they said.

An e-FIR was lodged on Saturday, following which the cybercrime unit of Delhi Police initiated an investigation.

Also Read:Ahilyanagar paediatrician loses over Rs 7 crore in digital arrest fraud

Threats Over National Security

According to the victim, the man on the video call alleged that a Canara Bank account in her name had been used in a major fraud linked to national security.

“He said that since I was saying I had come from America to serve India, this was a matter of national security. If I was involved in this, I would have to come to Bombay and would be arrested,” she said, as reported by HT.

She told the callers that travelling was not possible as her husband was recovering from surgery at AIIMS. “I told him I could not come to Bombay because my husband had undergone surgery and was under treatment. He was being treated by AIIMS doctors, was still on antibiotics, and was walking with a walker. There was no one else with us, so how could we manage anything,” she said.

The accused allegedly exploited the couple's isolation and repeatedly threatened them with arrest and legal action, forcing them to remain on continuous phone and video calls, police said.

When the couple refused to travel, the accused then suggested an alternative. “They said there was another way. They said they would keep verifying me and would release me quickly. They said that just like bail, even during bail verification continues, and that they would fully release me after verification. But until then, the verification was necessary,” she said.

The fraud came to light after the calls stopped on January 9, prompting the couple to approach the authorities, they added.

Also Read:Cyber Fraud: Woman loses Rs 17 lakh while booking doctor's appointment