Digital arrest scam busted, 2 land in police net

The Delhi Police have busted a digital arrest scam by arresting two men, including a bank employee who allegedly arranged corporate bank accounts for fraudsters on commission.

The crackdown came after a Delhi-based doctor, who was duped of nearly Rs 15 lakh by fraudsters posing as a government official, registered a complaint.

The main accused, identified as Buddhadev Hazara (31), an MBA graduate from Ghaziabad, was apprehended from Kolkata, West Bengal. According to Additional DCP (Central) Rishi Kumar, Hazara had worked in loan departments of several banks before he began arranging corporate accounts for cyber crooks under the influence of one John from Barrackpore.

His associate, Md Sahin Khan (30), was arrested from near Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. The police said Khan had shared his bank account credentials, including cheque book and ATM card, with Hazara for a commission of Rs 1.5 lakh.

The victim, a doctor from Delhi, received a threatening call from an individual posing as a government official. The accused coerced him into transferring Rs 14,85,921 to avoid “digital arrest.”

Technical analysis by the Cyber Police Station (Central District) revealed the extorted money was transferred to an account registered under ‘SK Rice Wholesaler & Trading’.

“During questioning, Hazara confessed to receiving Rs 3 lakh from the fraud and paid half of the amount to Khan,” said Kumar. Investigators have found at least 10 more complaints linked to the same bank accounts used in the scam from various states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka.

The police have recovered four mobile phones from the duo and efforts are being made to trace other suspects involved in the racket, including alleged mastermind John. A case has been registered under sections related to impersonation, extortion, cheating and criminal conspiracy.