In a significant breakthrough, the Pimpri Chinchwad Police’s Cyber Crime Cell has arrested six suspects implicated in two large-scale “digital arrest” frauds that targeted senior citizens earlier this year and resulted in losses of approximately ₹2.8 crore.
The probe revealed that the arrested individuals are connected to at least three dozen cyber-fraud cases across India, and bank accounts tied to them have reportedly processed fraudulent transactions amounting to nearly ₹100 crore.
The Crimes and the Arrests
Two separate FIRs were filed at the Pimpri Chinchwad Cyber Crime Police Station — one in which a senior citizen was cheated of around ₹1.0 crore, and another in which another victim lost ₹1.8 crore.
As investigators tracked mobile numbers and bank account details, they found links to mule‐account holders and handlers based in four states.
Teams from Pimpri Chinchwad were deployed to Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Maharashtra to conduct coordinated raids.
Over the span of three weeks, six suspects were apprehended:
- Mohammad Amer Akil Mohammad Arif (35), Hyderabad – real estate dealer
- Jigar Jitesh Patel (23), Mumbai – works at a chartered accountant’s office
- Ajith Vijayan (36), Thiruvananthapuram – travel agency operator
- Sachin P Prakash (26), Karnataka – security guard
- Mohammed Rihan Mohammed Tajmul (18), Mysore – BSc student
- Sayyed Owaiz Afnan Sayyed Shaukat (20), Mysuru – fruit‐seller (
The investigations also uncovered that one of the suspects’ accounts (Mohammed Amer Akil Mohammad Arif) was involved in the massive ₹58 crore “digital arrest” scam registered in Mumbai, which is considered the largest of its kind in the country to date.
Modus Operandi & Wider Network
Fraudsters posed as law enforcement officials (such as IPS/DCP/ACP), or agents of courier services, and threatened “digital arrest” of the victims unless large sums were transferred.
They used WhatsApp video calls, fake legal documents, and high-pressure tactics to coerce payment.
Bank accounts held by these suspects served as mule accounts or account-handlers; funds were later routed through multiple layers and sometimes sent abroad via cryptocurrency.
The network spanned at least 35 cyber-fraud cases across Mumbai, Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, and beyond.
Authorities’ Response & Significance
Officials raised serious concerns that despite extensive awareness campaigns and government efforts, such “digital arrest” scams continue to proliferate — especially targeting older citizens.
The Mumbai case alone involved more than 6,500 fake bank accounts across 13 layers, according to records shared by Maharashtra Cyber.
All six arrested are currently in police custody while further forensic analysis of their bank transactions, phone records, and overseas linkages continues.
Police urge citizens — especially elderly citizens — to remember: no legitimate law enforcement agency conducts arrests via video call or courier demands.
The investigation has broadened to include tracing the funding flows, cryptocurrency transfers, and the complete linkages of the mule-account network.
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