Yet another case of “digital arrest” has been reported in Gujarat. A brother-sister pair from Patan were tricked into staying on continuous video calls for a week — pressured with threats, fake warrants and bogus legal documents. They lost Rs. 21 lakh to the cyber scammers.
According to the complaint filed on November 28 with Patan police, the ordeal began on October 31.
It all began when the sister received a call from someone claiming to be a Mumbai police constable, alleging that a mobile number linked to her identity was being used for prostitution and money laundering. When she denied the charges, the call was transferred to a man posing as a senior officer.
The brother and sister were then ordered to remain in one place, not speak to anyone else, and keep their cameras on — effectively placing them under psychological “digital arrest.”
Through repeated threats and coercion, the scammers — using forged arrest warrants, freeze orders, even a “consent form” in her name — forced them to transfer funds to multiple bank accounts over the week. The brother, working at a medical college, got involved when he saw his sister under video surveillance after returning home.
By November 5, they had transferred about Rs. 20.93 lakh. They even sold their house — receiving Rs. 15 lakh as token payment — believing this was needed to “prove innocence.” When the promised certificate of clearance never arrived, the scammers vanished the next day.
The siblings eventually confided in relatives, who recognized the scam. A complaint was filed, and the case — under cheating, breach of trust, and violations of the Information Technology Act — is now being investigated.
According to reports, the gang used multiple phone numbers, WhatsApp accounts, and video-call apps to maintain psychological pressure and control.
In a high-profile case in Gandhinagar, a woman doctor was kept under “digital arrest” from March 15 to June 25, 2025. Under threats and repeated video surveillance, she was manipulated into selling fixed deposits, gold, shares, and property. In total she was duped of about Rs. 19.24 crore, transferred in 35 different bank accounts.
In September 2025, a 78-year-old retired resident of Naranpura, Ahmedabad, alleged that fraudsters impersonating officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), crime branch, and the Supreme Court of India digitally arrested him — claiming his account was linked to a massive money laundering case. Over roughly two weeks, he and his wife liquidated assets and transferred Rs. 38.94 lakh under pressure.
More recently, the state’s cybercrime apparatus has dismantled major pieces of the infrastructure behind these scams: The Cyber Centre of Excellence, Gujarat CID unearthed a racket that had routed more than 1,000 SIM cards from Gujarat to illegal call centres abroad — used in digital arrest frauds, betting scams, and other cybercrimes. Several accused, including alleged master-minds and facilitators, have been arrested.
In October 2025, another gang — allegedly based out of Ahmedabad — was busted for extorting victims via digital arrest scams, reportedly fleecing more than Rs.11.42 crore. The accused posed as government investigators over WhatsApp video calls and threatened legal action if victims did not “cooperate.”
According to the Cyber Crime Cell data in a section of the media, from January to July 2025, Gujarat registered on average four digital-crime cases every month involving extortion of Rs. 2 crore or more.
Also Read: Digital Arrest Scam In Gujarat: Doctor Loses Life’s Savings https://www.vibesofindia.com/digital-arrest-scam-in-gujarat-doctor-loses-lifes-savings/
