Ex-serviceman kept under 'digital arrest' for 15 days, defrauded of Rs 98 lakh by threatening him with arrest

In Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, cyber thugs defrauded a retired soldier of Rs 98 lakh by keeping him in 'digital arrest' for 15 days. Posing as CBI, RBI and court officials, the fraudsters showed the court proceedings through fake video calls and got the money transferred by threatening arrest. Police have registered the case and started investigation. A shocking case of cyber fraud has come to light from Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, where swindlers defrauded a retired soldier of about Rs 98 lakh by keeping him in 'digital arrest' for 15 days. The thugs carried out this crime by posing as officers of CBI, RBI, Department of Telecommunications and the court. According to police officials, the victim ex-serviceman was continuously threatened and intimidated through phone and video calls between December 15 and December 30. The thugs told him that a fake SIM card had been issued in his name and that he was involved in a big money laundering case. On the basis of this false allegation, she was mentally tortured and pressurized not to leave the house or talk to anyone, which they termed 'digital arrest'. According to the complaint, the thugs also showed fake court proceedings through video calls. On the call, a person was presented as a judge, who during the alleged hearing ordered the victim to deposit his property and money in the court. The victim was intimidated by threatening an arrest warrant and a prison sentence of five to seven years. Due to this fear and mental pressure, the ex-serviceman transferred the money to various bank accounts mentioned by the swindlers. Overall he suffered a loss of approximately Rs 98 lakh. Not only this, the cyber criminals also got the call details, messages and other digital evidence deleted from the mobile phone, so that no clues remain. On the complaint of the case, an FIR has been registered in the Cyber ​​Crime Police Station, Central Division of Mandi district. Cyber ​​police is investigating the facts related to the case and efforts are on to reach out to the thugs. Superintendent of Police, Cyber ​​​​Crime, Rohit Malpani has appealed to the general public to be alert from any such phone call, video call or WhatsApp message, in which people are intimidated by pretending to be government officials. He clarified that no government agency does digital arrest like this.