- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: Delhi Police have dismantled a “Digital Arrest” scam, resulting in the arrest of five Indian operatives linked to a Chinese company operating out of Jhansi. The accused impersonated police officers, threatening victims with arrest unless they transferred large sums of money, according to a police statement.
The investigation began after 81-year-old retired Army personnel Gopal filed a complaint with the Delhi Police. Gopal reported receiving a call from the scammers, who claimed he was implicated in a money laundering case and would be arrested unless he transferred Rs. 15 lakhs to a DBS bank account.
Authorities discovered that the scammers were operating from Jhansi and had opened multiple bank accounts in the names of unsuspecting individuals. The arrested individuals – Imran Qureshi, Asad Qureshi, Dev Sagar, Javed, and Abhishek Yadav – were working for the Chinese company. Abhishek Yadav, identified as the mastermind behind the operation, was apprehended in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. He had been communicating with the Chinese firm via Telegram and had supplied them with over a hundred bank accounts.
Delhi Police seized 11 smartphones, 6 ATMs, one laptop, and several bank cheque books from the suspects. The investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of the scam and any additional individuals involved.
This bust follows the Directorate of Enforcement’s (ED) arrest of two individuals in January in connection with a similar “digital arrest” scam in Chennai, where the suspects allegedly defrauded victims through mule accounts and converted illicit cash into cryptocurrency. The ED began its investigation after a complaint from a senior citizen who reported being scammed out of Rs 33 lakhs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized the importance of educating the public about the non-existence of any provision for digital arrest, labeling it a false conspiracy designed to exploit victims. He has expressed concern over the rising cyber scams in which fraudsters impersonate law enforcement or government officials to intimidate and extort money from individuals.
