Pune Man Loses Rs 63.4 Lakh in ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam, Cyber Police Probe On

Pune, 13th December 2025: A 72-year-old retired assistant general manager of a public sector bank was cheated of ₹63.4 lakh in a “digital arrest” scam after fraudsters posed as law enforcement officials and coerced him into transferring his savings, police said.

According to the Pune Cyber Police, the incident began on November 26 when the elderly man received a video call from an unknown mobile number. The caller, dressed in a police uniform, introduced himself as an officer from the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.

“The caller claimed that a joint bank account had been opened in the victim’s name with a private bank and that it was being used for money laundering,” a cyber police officer said. To gain the victim’s trust, the fraudster allegedly displayed a fake identity card and shared fabricated bank statements and photographs of individuals purportedly involved in money laundering and human trafficking.

Police said the scammer further alleged that the retired bank officer’s Aadhaar details had been misused by one of the accused persons, and warned him that multiple enforcement agencies were monitoring his activities.

On November 27, the same caller contacted the victim again and shared forged letters claimed to be from the Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bureau of Investigation. “He told the victim that his bank accounts were under verification and instructed him to transfer his funds to what he described as an intelligence wing of the finance department,” the officer said.

The fraudster assured the victim that the money would be credited back to his account within 30 minutes and provided details of two bank accounts for the transfer. Believing the claims, the elderly man transferred a total of ₹63.4 lakh in two separate transactions.

When the money was not returned, the victim contacted the caller, who then allegedly demanded details of his mutual fund investments. Police said the caller threatened him with arrest when he refused to share further financial information.

Growing suspicious after failing to recover his money even by December 1, the retired bank official approached the Pune Cyber Police. A case was registered on Thursday, and further investigation is underway.

Police have once again cautioned citizens, especially senior citizens, against “digital arrest” scams and advised them not to share personal or financial information or transfer money based on calls claiming to be from police or other government agencies.