Firm official loses Rs 79.5L in ‘digital arrest’

In yet another incident of “digital arrest” scam, miscreants conned Poddar Tyres Limited vice-president (operations) Mahendra Prakash Vyas of Rs 79.5 lakh after telling him that the Customs Department has found passports and narcotics in a courier meant for him.

On the complaint of the victim, a cheating case has been registered at the Punjab State Cyber Crime Police Station. In his complaint, the victim stated that miscreants impersonated as officials of Mumbai Police and CBI and kept him under “digital arrest” for around 20 days from September 27 to October 29. They threatened him not to disclose anything to his family members.

The miscreants reportedly forced Vyas to transfer Rs 54 lakh, Rs 10.5 lakh, Rs 7.5 lakhs and some more amount in installments over 20 days after which he reported the matter to the police.

Three days ago, an 83-year-old resident of Kansal was duped of Rs 85 lakh after he was put under “digitally arrest”. The victim went to a Sector 17 branch of a bank and deposited the money in the account number provided by miscreants. He was told that the Customs Department had seized passports from his courier. The victim, Nirvair Singh Bains, complained to the Cyber Crime Police after which a case was registered.

High-profile case

The police recently busted a gang of inter-state cyber fraudsters who duped noted industrialist Shri Paul Oswal of Rs 7 crore. Two cyber criminals have been arrested and Rs 5.25 crore have been recovered from them.