Senior Citizen Couple duped of ₹69 Lakh in shocking ‘Digital Arrest’ cyber fraud in Uttarakhand
Senior Citizen Couple duped of ₹69 Lakh in shocking ‘Digital Arrest’ cyber fraud in Uttarakhand
Dehradun, Jan 23
In a disturbing case highlighting the growing menace of cybercrime in India, an elderly couple from Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, has fallen victim to a highly sophisticated cyber fraud involving digital arrest, impersonation of government authorities, criminal intimidation, identity theft, and extortion, resulting in a financial loss of approximately ₹69 lakh.
The victims, namely Bhagwat Narayan Jha (81 years) and his wife Kamal Jha (74 years), senior citizens and law-abiding residents of Ganga Residency, Rishikesh, have submitted a formal complaint to the Cyber Police Station, Dehradun. A Fir was registered under section 66D of IT Act, and Sections 318(4), 336 (3),340 (2) and 61 (2) was registered on January 17, 2025
The incident started on 17 November 2025, when Bhagwat Narayan Jha received a call from unknown individuals claiming that his Aadhaar number was linked to illegal financial transactions worth nearly ₹10 crore. The callers convincingly impersonated officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Cyber Crime Cell, and Supreme Court authorities, threatening immediate arrest, freezing of bank accounts, attachment of property, and imprisonment.
What followed was nearly 60 days of psychological captivity, now widely referred to as “Digital Arrest”, where the victims were kept under constant virtual surveillance through WhatsApp audio and video calls.
According to the complaint, they were kept on continuous WhatsApp calls and were strictly instructed not to contact family, friends, lawyers, or police. Their live location, daily movements, and sleep timings were monitored and any delay in response resulted in threats, intimidation, and abusive language.
Under extreme mental pressure and fear, Bhagwat Narayan Jha was coerced into transferring money to multiple bank accounts provided by the accused. He was also forced to sell his only land/property, which was his sole means of livelihood, and transfer the proceeds to the fraudsters.
The complainants state that multiple forced bank transfers were made under supervision and bank visits were monitored in real time while Aadhaar copies, bank passbooks, UTR slips, and verification messages were repeatedly demanded. The total financial loss stands at approximately ₹69 lakh
All supporting evidence — including WhatsApp chat transcripts, bank transaction proofs, beneficiary account details, Aadhaar misuse records, and property sale documents — has been submitted to the police authorities.
The complainants have expressed deep concern that despite repeated national advisories on cybercrime, organized criminal networks continue to operate with alarming confidence, exploiting gaps in telecom verification, delayed inter-agency coordination, and slow account-freezing mechanisms.
This case raises serious questions about the effectiveness of existing safeguards, particularly for senior citizens, who remain the most vulnerable targets of such digitally orchestrated psychological crimes.
The growing number of “digital arrest” scams represent a dangerous evolution of cybercrime, blurring the line between virtual intimidation and unlawful detention. If left unchecked, such crimes risk eroding public trust in digital governance, Aadhaar-linked systems, and online financial infrastructure.
The complainants have urged that this case be treated not as an isolated incident, but as a matter of public interest requiring urgent and coordinated action. They have appealed for strict legal action against all perpetrators and freezing of beneficiary bank accounts without delay and recovery of defrauded funds. They demanded stronger protection mechanisms for senior citizens against digital intimidation and sought state and central agencies publicly clarify response timelines and accountability, to reassure citizens that cyber fraud of this magnitude will be addressed swiftly and transparently.
The complainants have stated that they hope this case will compel authorities to act decisively — not only to secure justice and recovery in this matter, but to send a clear deterrent message that impersonation of government institutions and psychological exploitation of citizens, especially senior citizens, will not be tolerated.
