Pune: Retired State Govt Officer Dies After Losing ₹1.2 Crore In ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam
Pune: Retired State Govt Officer Dies After Losing ₹1.2 Crore In ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam
Pune, October 30, 2025: A tragic case of cyber fraud has claimed the life of an 82-year-old retired state government officer from Pune, who collapsed and died after discovering that he and his 80-year-old wife had been cheated out of ₹1.19 crore in a sophisticated “digital arrest” scam.
Couple Held Under ‘Digital Arrest’
The fraud, which took place between August 16 and September 17, was orchestrated by scammers impersonating officials from the Mumbai Cyber Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The elderly couple, who have three daughters living abroad, were misled into believing they were suspects in a money-laundering case.
The fraudsters kept them under “digital arrest” for three days — forcing them to keep their phone camera switched on — while coercing them to share sensitive banking details.
According to Senior Inspector Swapnali Shinde of Pune Cyber Police, the ordeal began when the victim received a call from a person pretending to be a Mumbai Police “encounter specialist.”
The caller claimed that the man’s Aadhaar and bank details were linked to a money-laundering case involving a private airline. Soon after, another fraudster posing as an IPS officer from the CBI’s Delhi office told the couple they were under “home arrest” and must cooperate to avoid imprisonment.
Over several days, the scammers manipulated the couple into transferring large sums to five different bank accounts.
Victim Dies from Shock
On October 22, the retired officer collapsed at his home, unable to bear the emotional shock of losing his life savings. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, he was declared dead on arrival. His wife, still traumatized by the incident, lodged a formal complaint on Tuesday after police verified her grievance.
Police Warn Against Fake Arrest Calls
Authorities have urged the public — especially senior citizens — to stay vigilant and immediately report suspicious calls to the Cybercrime Helpline (1930) or at cybercrime.gov.in.
