Kolkata: An 81-year-old resident of Rabindrapally, Kestopur, was defrauded of ₹88 lakh in a meticulously orchestrated cyber fraud that involved criminals impersonating senior police officers, including the Joint Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, and telecom department officials.
The elderly victim, Manishi Nath Das, approached the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station and lodged a formal complaint, detailing the elaborate scam that unfolded between May 31 and June 2.
Coordinated Calls, Threats, and a Fake Arrest Warrant
The scam began with a call from a person claiming to be a telecom department official, alleging misuse of Das’s Aadhaar-linked mobile number. The call was quickly transferred to another individual identifying himself as “Sandip Rao” from a Karnataka police station, who falsely accused Das of being linked to money laundering and human trafficking.
According to the complaint, Das was told that his Aadhaar details had been sold to a man named Sadakat Khan for ₹40 lakh, and a Supreme Court arrest warrant had been issued against him.
In the final blow, a third scammer – posing as an IPS officer and using the name of a real Kolkata Police officer – claimed that Das had been “digitally arrested.” Under intense psychological pressure and fear, Das ended up transferring:
- ₹36.5 lakh from a nationalised bank account
- ₹51.5 lakh from a public sector bank account
to two private bank accounts controlled by the fraudsters.
Realisation After Newspaper Report
Das only realised he had been scammed after reading a newspaper article about a similar ‘digital arrest’ case. He subsequently filed a report on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal and approached the local police.
The police have registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and investigations are underway.
Senior Citizens: A Target for ‘Digital Arrest’ Scams
Officers familiar with the case highlighted that senior citizens are especially vulnerable to such scams due to–
- Limited familiarity with digital systems
- Emotional isolation
- Absence of younger family members at home
“These scams exploit fear, confusion, and the trust elderly individuals place in authority figures,” an officer said. “Such cases underscore the urgent need for digital awareness programs tailored for senior citizens.”
