Sometimes reality can be stranger than fiction. A scene out of a crime thriller film can be playing out in front of your eyes, yet it might just be a fairy tale to others.
Imagine, now, that the individual seated in front of you manages to con you into being placed under “digital arrest” through a complex scheme.
An incident happened with Vardhman Group chief SP Oswal. Police have arrested two people from Guwahati (Assam) in connection with the fraud with Oswal and seized more than ₹5 crores from them.
The fraud started after pressing ‘number 9’
Oswal told the whole story of the fraud that happened with him in a conversation with NDTV. He said, “I got a call on 28 August. The fraudsters said that your phone will be disconnected in 2 hours, and they asked me to press number 9, which I pressed. After this, the person on the other side said that he is talking from the Colaba office of CBI.” The fraudsters told Oswal that there is an account in Canara Bank in his name in which financial irregularities have taken place.
Case linked to Naresh Goyal
The fraudsters told Oswal during a conversation via video call that his account was used in the money laundering case involving former Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal. Oswal said, “The fraudsters called me a suspect in this case and said that you are in our digital custody, we will try to save you. You will have to cooperate with us. The fraudsters assured me of getting me out of the case.”
Hearing in the court of ‘fake CJI’
Oswal further tells NDTV, “I was asked to write a letter for early hearing of the case. I was sent about 70 rules related to surveillance and I was constantly under surveillance, even if I went out of the room, I had to take a phone with me so that they could see me.” He said that the fraudsters had also created a fake courtroom in which one of the fraudsters was sitting as fake ‘CJI DY Chandrachud’ and he also issued orders. According to Oswal, he was asked to deposit ₹ 7 crore in different bank accounts.
What has the police done so far?
The police registered a case on August 31 on Oswal’s complaint and arrested people named Atanu Chaudhary and Anand Kumar from Guwahati, Assam. The police have so far recovered ₹ 5.25 crore, which is the biggest seizure so far in such cases. The police are looking for many others including the alleged mastermind of this case and former bank employee Rumi Kalita. Accused Anand told the police that he was told that the money of the gaming prize would be transacted through his account, of which he would get a share.
What is ‘digital arrest’?
‘Digital arrest’ is not a legal method or provision, it is a method used by fraudsters for cyber fraud. In ‘digital arrest’, the fraudsters hold people hostage in the house through video calling and keep monitoring the victim all the time. In such cases, the fraudsters make video calls by posing as an officer of some government agency or police officer. Fraudsters confine people to their homes by scaring them of arrest and even make the background of their video calls look like a police station or an agency.
After this, the fraudsters make false allegations and extort money by promising bail or acquittal from the case. During this time, the criminals do not even let the victim leave the video call or call anyone. Usually, the fraudsters target retired or working elderly professionals because they have a good amount of money in their accounts, and they are also less technically updated. It is worth noting that the police of different places have issued advisories many times stating that there is no such thing as ‘digital arrest’ or ‘virtual arrest’.