Gujarat’s expanding cybercrime footprint has once again come under scrutiny.
In just the first nine months of this year, Gujarat reportedly accounted for nearly 30% of all cyberfraud complaints in India reported since 2020. Either the fraudsters orchestrating the scams or the victims they target have a Gujarat connection, underscoring the state’s growing link to major cybercrime cases.
Figures from the National Crime Records Bureau portal, shared by the CID (Crime), reveal that between January and September 2025 alone, as many as 1.42 lakh cyberfraud complaints were registered. These figures were highlighted by a national daily.
The reported fraud amount during this period stood at Rs 1,011 crore.
The latest scam involves a 68-year-old woman from the western suburbs, allegedly conned by a Gujarati.
It began with a phone call, and ended with a loss of Rs 3.75 crore, according to another report.
She was allegedly cheated by fraudsters who staged a mock virtual court hearing. One of them claimed he was “Justice Chandrachud”.
The West Cyber Police have arrested a 46-year-old man from Gujarat who received a major portion of the stolen money. Police said the actual callers often operate from outside the country, making it difficult for Indian law enforcement agencies to reach them.
The woman’s ordeal began on August 18 when she received a call from someone claiming to be from “Colaba police station”. The caller said her bank account was linked to a Rs 6 crore money laundering case.
The woman told the caller she did not operate any such account. But she was informed that a “case number” had already been generated and a letter with case details prepared.
To “prove” her innocence, the woman was subjected to a series of high-pressure tactics. She was told not to disclose details of the case to anyone. She was also threatened with arrest.
Following instructions, she submitted her bank details. She was placed under what the scammers called “24-hour surveillance”. She was told her case had been assigned to the CBI.
Soon after, an officer identifying himself as “S K Jaiswal” contacted her. He asked her to write a two-to-three page essay on her life to assess her character.
After reading it, he told her he was convinced of her innocence. He assured her that she would get bail soon.
A hearing was then arranged before “Justice Chandrachud”. She was warned to answer all questions truthfully.
The hearing took place over a video call. A man wearing judicial robes appeared on screen, posing as “Justice Chandrachud”.
He questioned her about the alleged money laundering case. When she pleaded non-guilty, he “rejected her bail”.
She was then instructed to submit all her wealth for scrutiny. She was also asked to redeem all her mutual funds.
Between August and October, the woman transferred Rs 3.75 crore to the fraudsters. She was told the amount would be audited.
When none of the money was returned, she approached the police. Under the supervision of joint commissioner Lakhmi Gautam, DCP Purushottam Karad and senior inspector Suvarna Shinde, a team traced the money trail. They arrested Jitendra Miyani, 46, from Surat.
Police said Miyani had received Rs 1.7 crore from the defrauded amount into his bank account.
In a separate digital arrest scam, the West Cyber Police arrested Gaurav Balot, 25, from Gandhinagar. He allegedly duped a retired teacher of Rs 20 lakh.
The teacher was told she had been involved in suspicious activity. She was informed she had been placed under digital custody for 90 days.
She was asked to submit details of all her investments to a “court”. To obtain a clearance letter, she was told to deposit her money into a “secret supervision account”.
Also Read: Virtual Fear, Real Losses: Digital Arrest Scams Surge Across Gujarat https://www.vibesofindia.com/virtual-fear-real-losses-digital-arrest-scams-surge-across-gujarat/
