In a shocking case of cyber fraud in Delhi, fraudsters posing as NIA and ATS officers kept a 74-year-old retired railway employee and his wife under ‘digital arrest’ for nearly seven days and duped them of Rs 30 lakh.
How Police Cracked The Case
The caller identified himself as an NIA officer and claimed that investigations had revealed the man had provided funds for the Red Fort blast and that his bank account had been used to finance terrorists. By posing as police officers or issuing fake court notices and invoking agencies like the NIA or ATS with threats of arrest, they are exploiting fear to extort money. The incident dates back to November 23 last year, according to police. The elderly man, a resident of Dwarka, was preparing to attend a relative’s wedding when he received a call around 4 pm. Since the call came just days after the car blast near the Red Fort on November 10, the elderly man was alarmed and frightened, he later told police. In a major breakthrough, police managed to block the onward transfer of one tranche of Rs 15 lakh sent by the victim. Rs 12 lakh was recovered and returned to the victim.
Police said this case highlights how cyber fraudsters are now using major, high-profile crimes to intimidate people.
The next day, the fraudsters initiated a video call. One accused identified himself as an NIA officer, while the other claimed to be an ATS officer. They threatened him with arrest if he failed to cooperate. Then began a seven-day ‘digital arrest’ ordeal, during which the fraudsters kept the elderly couple under constant surveillance via phone and video calls. They were forbidden from speaking to anyone – or even informing their children.
They told the victim he was under investigation and that his bank account had been linked to blast accused Umar Nabi and others.
