Pune Cyber Police Crack ‘Digital Arrest’ Fraud, ₹11 Crore Scam Targeting 82-Year-Old Senior Citizen Uncovered
Pune Cyber Police Crack ‘Digital Arrest’ Fraud, ₹11 Crore Scam Targeting 82-Year-Old Senior Citizen Uncovered
Pune | March 2, 2026
The Pune Cyber Police have dismantled a major cyber fraud racket involved in a fake “digital arrest” scam that cheated an 82-year-old senior citizen of nearly ₹11 crore. Two accused have been arrested, while a wider national and international network linked to the fraud is now under investigation.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Harshad Subhash Dhantole (23) and Samarth Suresh Deshmukh (24), both residents of Karvenagar. Police are searching for Rohit Rameshwar Jadhav of Pimple Gurav and Amar Attargi from Solapur, who are currently absconding. Investigators said three of the accused are originally from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Fake CBI Threat Used to Trap Victim
According to police officials, the fraudsters contacted the elderly victim on his mobile phone and posed as officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). They falsely claimed that his bank account was linked to illegal financial transactions and threatened him with a so-called “digital arrest.”
To avoid supposed legal action, the victim was instructed to transfer money for “verification purposes.” Fearing arrest and prosecution, the senior citizen transferred ₹10.74 crore to multiple bank accounts provided by the scammers.
Realising he had been deceived, the victim later approached the Cyber Police Station in Shivajinagar and lodged a formal complaint.
Arrests and Seizures
During the investigation, cyber police tracked the suspicious bank accounts and analysed transaction trails. CCTV footage from an ATM in Karvenagar helped confirm the identity of the accused while withdrawing cash. Based on technical analysis and surveillance inputs, Dhantole and Deshmukh were arrested.
Police have so far:
- Seized ₹4.78 lakh in cash
- Frozen ₹40 lakh in bank accounts
- Identified links to at least 11 cybercrime complaints registered across different states
Wider Network Under Probe
Officials believe the arrested accused are part of a larger organised cybercrime network operating across India and abroad. Further investigations are underway to trace the remaining suspects, recover additional funds, and expose international connections linked to the scam.
Advisory to Citizens
The Pune Cyber Police have issued a strong public advisory, especially for senior citizens, urging them to:
- Never trust calls claiming to be from police or investigative agencies
- Verify identities through official channels
- Never transfer money based on phone threats
- Immediately report suspicious calls to cybercrime authorities
Officials stated that no law enforcement agency conducts “digital arrests” or financial verification over phone calls, and such threats are a common tactic used in cyber fraud schemes.
