A woman in northeast Delhi fell victim to a scam that left her under 'digital house arrest' for several hours.
The fraudsters called the victim, introduced themselves as CBI Crime Branch officials, and falsely informed her that her husband had been arrested.
They demanded a ransom of Rs 2 lakh.
In a shocking incident from early August, a woman in northeast Delhi fell victim to a scam that left her under ‘digital house arrest’ for several hours. The scammers, posing as officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), demanded a ransom of Rs 2 lakh, claiming that her husband had been arrested on rape charges.
The incident, reported by PTI (via TOI), involved three scammers—Raju Ray (29), Guddu Kumar Sharma (29), and Pappu Kumar (22)—all residents of Bihar. The fraudsters called the victim, introduced themselves as CBI Crime Branch officials, and falsely informed her that her husband had been arrested. They threatened to make the matter public if she did not pay Rs 2 lakh for his release. Fearing the consequences, the woman transferred the amount to two bank accounts provided by the scammers.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Joy Tirkey, speaking on the case, said, “A complaint was received from an NDMC employee that his wife received a call from an unknown number, and the callers introduced themselves as officials from the CBI Crime Branch.” The scammers kept the woman on the phone for about six hours. Based on intelligence and technical surveillance, the police conducted raids in Bihar, leading to the arrest of the trio.
What is Digital Arrest?
A digital arrest refers to the restriction or suspension of someone’s online activities or digital presence by authorities. This can include blocking access to social media accounts, websites, or online communication tools. It essentially acts like a traditional arrest but within the digital realm.