Unfortunate: 76-year-old doctor dies of heart attack after 3-day digital arrest

Hyderabad: An elaborate and organised cyber fraud led to the death of a 76-year-old retired doctor in Hyderabad, who suffered a heart attack after being kept under “digital arrest” for nearly 70 hours. The fraudsters extorted Rs 6.6 lakh from her pension account through threats, intimidation, and forged documents. Shockingly, the harassment continued even after her death.

The deceased was a former chief senior resident medical officer at Mamidipudi Nagarjuna Area Hospital in Malakpet, who collapsed at her home with severe chest pain after non-stop torture by the fraudsters in a three-day digital arrest. She was immediately taken to Raja Nursing Home in Yousufguda and then Apollo Spectra Clinic in Ameerpet, where she died at 12.30 pm.

According to news reports, the incident came to light only after her funeral on September 9. However, the ordeal began on September 5 when the victim received a WhatsApp call showing the Bangalore Police logo. The caller falsely accused her of being linked to a fabricated “Sadat Khan Human Trafficking Case” and shared forged documents carrying her Aadhaar details.

Also read- Elderly doctor conned out of Rs 8 crore in digital arrest scam

As per a TOI media report, the documents were stamped with fake seals of the Supreme Court, ED, and RBI. They threatened the doctor with arrest under the National Security Act (NSA) unless they said she transferred the money.

For the next three days, the fraudsters repeatedly harassed her through video calls from two numbers, showing fake notices from the Supreme Court, Karnataka Police, Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Fearing arrest, humiliation and under pressure, the doctor transferred Rs 6.60 lakh to the fraudsters from her Union Bank pension account. The amount was transferred to an ICICI Bank account, which was linked to a shell entity in Maharashtra.

Despite the payment, the harassment did not stop and continued even further. She continued to receive more phone calls and more fabricated court notices and threats.

Unable to bear the constant stress, the doctor developed severe chest pain and was rushed to a private hospital in Hyderabad, where she died of a heart attack on September 8.

Shockingly, even after her death, the scammers continued messaging and calling her. Her son told police that the family discovered the full extent of the harassment only after her funeral.

Speaking to the police, her son said, "The scammers continued sending messages even after her death. They sent the last message saying ‘good morning' on Sept 10."

Following this, he filed a complaint at the police station. Based on it, the police registered a case under Sections 66C and 66D of the IT Act, and Sections 111(2)(b), 105, 308(2), 318(4), 319(2), 336(3), 338, and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and have launched an investigation to trace the accused.

Also read- From FDs to House Sale: How a Gujarat doctor lost Rs 19 crore in Digital Arrest Scam