Pune: Senior Citizen From Kothrud Under ‘Digital Arrest’ For 8 Months, Loses Rs 68 Lakh to Cyber Fraudsters
Pune, 14th October 2026: An elderly woman from Kothrud allegedly lost Rs 68 lakh after cyber fraudsters posing as government officials and police officers kept her under a “digital arrest” for eight months, threatening to arrest her in connection with alleged pornography and money-laundering cases.
The fraud took place between March and the first week of October, cyber police said. The complainant lives alone, while her children are settled abroad, said inspector Sangeeta Deokate.
The accused initially contacted her over the phone, accusing her of uploading obscene photographs and videos online. They claimed the Data Protection Board of India was investigating the matter. After she denied the allegations, they told her to obtain a police clearance certificate.
Soon after, a man posing as a Mumbai Crime Branch officer contacted her through a video call and questioned her about her assets and bank accounts. He then alleged that one of her accounts had been used to launder money for a banned terrorist outfit in Kerala. The fraudsters also claimed she had received Rs 20 lakh as commission for circulating obscene content and used the money to fund terrorist activities.
Threatening to arrest her, the accused pressured the woman into transferring money to avoid legal action. She eventually emptied her savings and transferred Rs 68 lakh to six bank accounts, police said.
