18 September,2026 01:04 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Investigators traced the alleged fraud proceeds through multiple bank accounts to a gold trading firm. Representational pic
Mumbai Cyber Police have apprehended six people, including an IIT Delhi graduate and a private bank manager, for allegedly duping a 68-year-old senior citizen of Rs 1.12 crore in a "digital arrest" scam, an official said.
The accused have been identified as Tarik Momin, Rakesh Jain, Chintan Desai, Shakar Tyagi, G Gohel and Ajay Sharma. According to police, Gohel is a web developer with a BE degree from IIT Delhi and had earlier been booked in a cheating case in 2021. Tyagi works as an operations manager at a private bank.
"The victim, a 68-year-old retired businessman from Dahisar, was kept under digital arrest at his residence for nearly two weeks between July and August," the official said.
The accused allegedly first contacted the victim while posing as officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). They claimed that his Aadhaar details had been misused in connection with a money laundering case registered in Delhi.
The fraudsters allegedly escalated the deception by introducing an impersonator identified as "Vijay Khanna", who communicated with the victim through WhatsApp video calls while wearing a police uniform. The impersonator also allegedly showed documents carrying official logos and references to the Supreme Court.
"The victim, a 68-year-old retired businessman from Dahisar, was kept under digital arrest at his residence for nearly two weeks between July and August," the official said.
The victim was allegedly threatened with the arrest of his family members and instructed to disclose his location every two hours. Under the pressure, he reportedly liquidated his fixed deposits and transferred Rs 1.12 crore to several bank accounts allegedly controlled by the gang.
"Coerced under threat of family arrest and forced to report his location every two hours, the victim liquidated his fixed deposits and transferred Rs 1.12 crore into multiple bank accounts controlled by the gang. The crime came to light after the victim's daughter discovered the fraud and approached the cyber police," he said.
Investigators from the North Cyber Police traced the transferred funds to the bank account of a gold trading firm.
"Momin managed mule bank accounts, while firm director Rakesh Jain's registered SIM card was routed through Tyagi and Gohel to handle OTPs. Accused Chintan Desai then travelled with the linked device to Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh, where the stolen funds were withdrawn and siphoned off," he said.
The investigation into the syndicate's financial transactions and other operations is being conducted by senior inspector Pramod Kamble and inspector Sunil Lokhande under the supervision of DCP Bajrang Bansode.
(With inputs from PTI)
