A shocking case of cyber fraud has come to light in Mumbai, where two young men used the concept of 'Digital Arrest' to dupe an elderly woman of over ₹20 crore. The accused, posing as police officers, falsely accused the victim of being involved in money laundering and manipulated her into transferring a huge sum of money.
According to a report by The Indian Express, the accused contacted the 86-year-old woman, claiming to be law enforcement officials. They alleged that a bank account had been opened in her name using her Aadhaar card and was being used for money laundering. They further warned her that if she did not cooperate, she would face legal consequences.
To intensify the fear, the fraudsters told the woman that she had been "digitally arrested" in her own home. This psychological manipulation led the victim to transfer large sums of money over a period of time.
Terrified by the threats, the woman transferred ₹20.25 crore to various bank accounts between December 26, 2024, and March 3, 2025. After realizing she had been scammed, she lodged a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and later filed an FIR with the South Cyber Police Station in Mumbai.
During the investigation, police discovered that part of the swindled money had been deposited into the account of 20-year-old Shayan Jameel Sheikh, a resident of Malad (West). Upon tracing his location, authorities arrested him from the Malwani area of Mumbai.
Further questioning led to the arrest of his accomplice, Raziq Azam Butt, a 20-year-old from Mira Road (East). However, a third suspect, Ryan Arshad Sheikh, who had also received a portion of the money, managed to escape.
A forensic examination of the accused's mobile phones revealed links to an international fraud syndicate. Investigators found that Raziq had created a Telegram group with 13 foreign nationals, through which he shared Indian bank account details with overseas fraud masterminds.
The police suspect that the gang systematically transferred the stolen money into multiple accounts before routing it abroad. Authorities are now working to track down other members of the network and uncover the complete financial trail.
This incident is yet another reminder of the growing cybercrime threat, particularly targeting vulnerable individuals under the guise of ‘Digital Arrests.’ Law enforcement agencies urge citizens to stay vigilant and report any suspicious calls to the authorities immediately.
