Digital arrest scam: J-K police arrest 3 from Gujarat for duping Jammu trader of Rs 4.4 crore

The cyber wing of the Jammu and Kashmir police has uncovered an online fraud involving Rs 4.4 crore with the arrest of three accused from Gujarat's Surat who had kept a Jammu-based businessman under digital arrest, police said on Tuesday.

The fraud came to light on September 2 when the businessman lodged a written complaint at the cyber police station here, alleging that he had been defrauded of huge amounts of money by cyber criminals impersonating as law enforcement officials, Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, Joginder Singh said.

The SSP said the fraudsters falsely accused the complainant of being involved in money laundering using his Aadhaar and SIM credentials.

After keeping him under digital arrest, they deceitfully coerced the victim into transferring Rs 4,44,20,000 across multiple bank accounts through a series of transactions, Singh said.

The officer said an FIR under Section 66D of the Information Technology Act read with relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered and a detailed investigation was launched.

During the investigation, the cyber police team traced the money trail, examined bank transactions, scrutinised mobile communications, and analysed digital footprints linked to the fraud, he said, adding the investigation revealed that the network involved in the fraud was primarily operating from Gujarat.

Based on credible intelligence, a special investigation team was deputed to Surat and in a well-coordinated operation, three accused — Chauhan Manish Arunbhai, Ansh Vithani and Kishorbhai Karamshibhai Diyoria — were arrested, he said.

He said the arrested individuals were subsequently brought to Jammu for sustained interrogation to identify other co-conspirators, uncover additional evidence, and trace further financial links associated with the crime.

Terming the arrest of the accused as a “major breakthrough”, the SSP said the cyber police Jammu has so far frozen Rs 55,88,256.74 across various bank accounts linked to the accused.

Efforts are actively underway to reverse and refund the defrauded amounts to the complainant, out of which Rs 6 lakh has already been credited back to the victim's account, the officer said.

On Monday, the first charge sheet in the case was filed in the court against the arrested accused, he said.