Digital arrest scam: Uppal retired scientist loses Rs 1.34 crore to fake cops, mock Supreme Court hearing

Hyderabad: A 73-year-old retired government scientist from Uppal, Hyderabad, lost Rs 1.34 crore to conmen posing as officials from the Department of Telecommunications, the police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The victim, Shivendra Nath Rai, was manipulated into believing that he was involved in a high-profile criminal case and was coerced into transferring his life savings under the pretext of ‘verification’ by the Supreme Court.

Victim threatened with human trafficking and cybercrime charges

The scam began on May 31, when Rai received a phone call from an individual claiming to be from the Department of Telecommunications, who informed him that a criminal case had been registered in his name at the Ashoka Nagar Police Station in Bengaluru.

The call was then transferred to one Sandeep Rao, impersonating a police officer, who further convinced Rai that his Aadhaar credentials had been misused by a criminal involved in international human trafficking and cybercrime.

The impersonators told Rai that a person named Sadakat Khan had been arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and that his (Rai’s) Aadhaar number had surfaced in the investigation.

Police impersonators created a mock video call court hearing with CJI

The supposed police officer then connected him with a fake CBI officer named Akash Khulari, who escalated the pressure by sending forged documents bearing the logos of the Supreme Court, Delhi Police, CBI and Karnataka Police.

Rai was threatened with imminent arrest on charges of money laundering, drug trafficking, and identity theft. The fraudsters coerced him into attending a mock video call court hearing, where he was instructed to wear white clothes and follow courtroom protocol, claiming he would be speaking to the Chief Justice of India.

To ‘avoid arrest,’ Rai was instructed to transfer his bank funds to government-verified accounts for forensic auditing. Believing the promises of a refund and scared of legal consequences, he made multiple RTGS transfers totalling Rs 1.34 crore to various bank accounts provided by the fraudsters.

It was only after consulting close friends and well-wishers that Rai realised he had been a victim of an elaborate scam. He has since lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police and reported the incident through the national helpline 1930.

Public advisory

The cybercrime authorities are now investigating the case, which highlights a growing trend of ‘digital arrest’ scams targeting elderly individuals using fear and forged government documents to extract money.

Officials urge citizens to remain cautious of unsolicited calls from people claiming to represent government agencies and to never transfer funds under threat or pressure without verification. If suspicious, call 1930 immediately or report the incident at https://cybercrime.gov.in.