A 54-year-old doctor from Hyderabad was conned of ₹3 crore by scammers who threatened her with ‘digital arrest’. The image is used for representative purposes only.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police arrested two individuals from Gujarat for ‘digitally arresting’ a Hyderabad-based doctor and conning her of ₹3 crore by posing as government officials.
The accused, identified as Harpal Singh, aged 50, and Saiyad Aiyub Bhai, also 50, were involved in 17 similar fraud cases across India, with more cases under investigation. Harpal, a home loan consultant, and Saiyad Aiyub, a property dealer, both reside in Gujarat.
Their scam with the Hyderabad victim began with a 54-year-old female doctor, residing in Gudimalkapur, receiving a call from an unknown individual claiming to be an officer from the Telecom Department.
The caller informed her that her mobile number would be blocked within two hours as it was allegedly linked to a money laundering case in Delhi. The doctor denied the allegations, but the caller escalated the situation by transferring the call to Skype, where she was connected to a person who identified himself as an IPS officer from Delhi, said the police.
This individual presented a fake court order purportedly issued by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, and instructed the doctor to prove her innocence by depositing large sums of money in designated bank accounts.
“The doctor was threatened with the safety of her family if she did not comply. She was assured that the money would be refunded once her innocence was proven, with the added warning that the matter was a ‘National Secret’ and should not be disclosed to anyone,” added the police.
Under duress and fearing for her family’s safety, the doctor redeemed her fixed deposits and transferred a total of ₹3 crore into the accounts provided by the scammers. The fraud was eventually reported to the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police, leading to the registration of the case.
The accused employed a variety of tactics to deceive their victims. They posed as representatives from government bodies such as the Telecom Department, TRAI, CBI, and even the Cyber Crime Police, using WhatsApp calls, Skype, and internet-based calls. The scammers threatened their victims with digital arrest and accused them of serious crimes such as money laundering or terrorism. Victims were cautioned to maintain confidentiality, with the added threat that revealing the incident would have dire consequences for their families.
After the money was transferred, the fraudsters would block the numbers of victims, leaving them unable to reclaim the funds.
Published – January 30, 2025 12:17 am IST