Mumbai:In a chilling case of cybercrime, a 78-year-old woman from South Mumbai fell victim to a sophisticated “digital arrest” scam and was defrauded of ₹1.51 crore. The South Region Cyber Police have arrested three individuals connected to the fraud and have identified the alleged mastermind operating from Dubai.
The arrested suspects — Sapan Prafull Kumar from Diva (Thane), and Imran and Abbu Bakar from Rabale — reportedly facilitated multiple bank accounts used to siphon off the victim’s money. A local court has remanded them in police custody till July 24.
The victim, Jyoti Premanand Bandodkar, a homemaker living near the Bank of Baroda branch on Bhulabhai Desai Road, received a fraudulent call on December 6, 2024. A man posing as “Amit Kumar from DHL Courier, Delhi” claimed a suspicious parcel under her name — allegedly containing narcotics, expired passports, and her Aadhaar card — was intercepted on its way to Bangkok.
Subsequently, imposters pretending to be officials from the Delhi Crime Branch and a fictitious “Finance Department” — using names like M.K. Mohandas, Inspector Anant Rana, Vijay Pal, and George Mathew — began contacting her through WhatsApp video calls. They presented forged documents and arrest threats under money laundering and criminal charges to intimidate her.
Terrified and manipulated, Bandodkar was coerced into transferring ₹1.51 crore from her IDBI Bank account to various accounts controlled by the scammers. She was told not to speak with family members as she was under “digital custody,” a term used by the fraudsters to deepen the fear.
The fraud came to light when the woman eventually confided in her relatives, who quickly alerted the authorities through the national cybercrime helpline (1930). An FIR was formally registered, leading to swift police action.
The police confirmed that psychological manipulation and impersonation tactics were used extensively in the crime. Efforts are ongoing to track down the Dubai-based kingpin named John, and police have urged the public to remain vigilant, never share personal or banking information with unknown callers, and always verify any law enforcement communication.
