Based on a complaint, the Kalyan police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act, Assistant Inspector Vinod Patil of Mahatma Phule police station said.
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A 68-year-old man was allegedly cheated of Rs 23.5 lakh by cyber fraudsters who threatened him with digital arrest in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.
This is a second such incident reported in the district this week, an official said.
Based on a complaint, the Kalyan police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act, Assistant Inspector Vinod Patil of Mahatma Phule police station said.
"The complainant alleged that two unidentified persons cheated him of Rs 23.5 lakh by threatening to place him under digital arrest and forced him to transfer money through online transactions between December 8 and 12," Patil said, reported PTI.
'Digital arrest' is a growing form of cybercrime in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement officials or personnel of government agencies and intimidate victims through audio/video calls. They hold the victims hostage and put pressure on them to pay money.
He said that the accused allegedly contacted the victim on WhatsApp video calls and claimed that his bank transactions were suspicious and linked to alleged irregularities.
"The fraudsters told him that he could be placed under digital arrest, but assured him that they would help him avoid legal action if he cooperated," the officer said, reported PTI.
He said that the accused repeatedly threatened the senior citizen and put pressure on him to make multiple online money transfers amounting to Rs 23.5 lakh.
The fraud came to light after the victim narrated the incident to acquaintances and approached the police on realising he had been duped.
"We are analysing bank transaction details, call records and digital evidence to track down the accused," Patil said, reported PTI.
GST fraud: Four booked for setting up fake firms, claiming Rs 22.06 crore ITC
In another incident, a case has been registered against four persons in Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly creating fake GST-registered firms and claiming input tax credit of more than Rs 22.06 crore, police said on Sunday, reported PTI.
Based on a complaint lodged by an official from the State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) department, the police in Kalyan on Thursday registered a case against Nikhil Gaikwad, owner of Dynamic Enterprises, Noor Mohammad Vasim Pinjari, Navnath Sukrya Gharat, and an individual identified as Sarfaraj, and a few others, reported PTI.
"Between April and August this year, the accused prepared false documents for a company by submitting this false information to the government and obtained a registration certificate under the GST Act," an official from the MFC police station said, reported PTI.
The accused allegedly created eight fake companies and managed to claim Rs 22.06 crore in ITC, he said.
The accused have been booked under sections 111 (organised crime), 316 (criminal breach of trust), 318 (cheating), and 320 (dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property), alongside relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, but no arrests have been made so far, the official said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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