Elderly Doctor Targeted Through WhatsApp Calls
Ahmedabad: City police have arrested three men for allegedly defrauding an elderly doctor of over Rs 8 crore through a cyber fraud scheme known as a ‘digital arrest’ scam.
Between July 28 and August 12, the doctor, a resident of Paldi, received repeated WhatsApp calls from people claiming to be Mumbai Crime Branch officials. They told him he was involved in the Jet Airways money laundering case and that Rs 5 lakh had been suspiciously deposited in his Canara Bank account.
Fake Courtroom Used to Convince Victim
The scammers threatened the doctor with 40 days’ imprisonment if he didn’t cooperate and instructed him not to inform anyone, warning it would be considered “anti-national”. They even staged a fake courtroom on video calls, where actors posed as judges and lawyers.
Over time, the doctor was persuaded to sell shares and transfer money to “legalize funds,” resulting in Rs 8.05 crore siphoned off via RTGS transactions into multiple bank accounts.
Arrests and Investigation Details
Police traced Rs 80 lakh into a Yes Bank account under the name Balaji Kheeru and Fast Food, operated by accused Pappu Singh. Singh, along with his aide Asif Shah from Ahmedabad, and another accused, Vikas Kumar, from Palghar, Maharashtra, were arrested. Investigations revealed:
- Shah arranged bank accounts on rent.
- Kumar handled transactions on commission, often linked to online gaming.
- Kumar was in touch with a Jharkhand-based man, Alex Monty, involved in casino gaming via Telegram.
- Singh’s phone had malware (Amma Pay) capturing OTPs and messages.
During raids, police seized 32 mobile phones, 2 laptops, PayTM swipe machines, cheque books, and cards worth ₹2.84 lakh. Authorities believe the ringleaders operate from abroad, mainly Cambodia and Singapore, and efforts are underway to trace them.
