Gandhinagar: A senior woman doctor from Gandhinagar has become the victim of ‘digital arrest’ fraud, losing Rs 19.24 crore over a span of three months.
The ordeal began on March 15, when the doctor received a call from a woman identifying herself as “Jyoti Vishwanath” from the Department of Telecommunications. The state CID crime cyber cell confirmed the report today.
What followed was a relentless psychological siege by fraudsters impersonating police inspectors, public prosecutors, and other officials. She was threatened with arrest under the FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) and PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act), with forged documents and fake FIR claims alleging offensive messages from her phone.
Fearing legal consequences and constant surveillance, the doctor was coerced into a form of digital house arrest, instructed to remain in contact via daily video calls and to share her live location at all times. Even during her nephew’s wedding in Surat, she had to secretly prove her presence via calls.
Over three months, the woman was manipulated into liquidating her fixed deposits, selling household gold, taking loans, offloading shares, and transferring money to accounts claimed to belong to “government bodies.”
The gang siphoned funds through 35 bank accounts, including one linked to Lalji Jayantibhai Baldaniya of Surat, who has since been arrested by Gujarat Police.
Cambodian cybercrime syndicates are believed to be at the helm of this operation, working with Indian collaborators. According to sources, Cambodia is now a known hub, housing over 5,000 call centres aimed at defrauding Indians, yet very few cross-border crackdowns have taken place.
On July 16, the Gujarat CID Crime registered a case against 35 individuals linked to the fraud. A four-team task force has been deployed: tracking bank accounts, mobile numbers, conducting on-ground investigation, and monitoring social media channels.
Digital arrest is a cybercrime tactic in which fraudsters impersonate government officials such as police officers, enforcement agencies, or telecom authorities and convince victims that they are involved in a legal case or crime, such as money laundering or cybercrime.
Under the pretext of an ongoing investigation, the victim is coerced into staying in constant contact through video calls, live location sharing, and strict behavioural monitoring, simulating a state of “virtual custody.”
Fearful of arrest or public humiliation, victims often comply and are manipulated into transferring money to so-called “government accounts” for verification or bail, leading to significant financial losses.
(IANS)
