- Delhi couple digitally arrested by fake NIA/ATS officers.
- Fraudsters extorted Rs 30 lakh linking to Red Fort blast.
- Police arrested one accused, recovered Rs 12 lakh.
In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a 74-year-old retired railway employee and his wife were kept under digital arrest for nearly seven days by fraudsters posing as NIA and ATS officers in Delhi. The couple was threatened with arrest and told that their bank account had been linked to the Red Fort blast case. Terrified by the threats, they transferred Rs 30 lakh to accounts controlled by the fraudsters.
Fraudsters Posed As NIA, ATS Officers
The incident began on November 23 last year when the elderly man, a resident of Dwarka, received a call from a man claiming to be an NIA officer. The caller alleged that his bank account had been used to fund terrorists and that he had provided money to those involved in the Red Fort blast.
The man was scared as the call came days after the car blast near the Red Fort on November 10. The following day, the fraudsters contacted him through a video call. One posed as an NIA officer and another as an ATS officer. They claimed his account had been linked to blast accused Umar Nabi and threatened him with arrest if he failed to cooperate.
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Couple Kept Under Digital Arrest
The fraudsters kept the couple under constant surveillance through phone and video calls for nearly seven days. They were told not to speak to anyone or inform their children. The accused also collected details of their bank accounts, fixed deposits and other assets. After several days, the fraudsters told them that the investigation was almost complete and that they only needed to verify the source of their funds.
Fake RBI Letter, Rs 30 Lakh Transfer
The man was asked to transfer his money to an “RBI-approved” account, with the promise that it would be returned after verification. On December 3, he broke his fixed deposit and withdrew Rs 30 lakh, transferring Rs 15 lakh through RTGS to the account provided. The next day, he transferred another Rs 15 lakh after the fraudsters demanded it. They later sent him a fake ‘Verification Letter’ purportedly issued by the RBI and carrying the Governor’s seal. Soon after, they stopped answering his calls, and he realised he had been cheated.
Police Trace Money Trail
The investigation was handed over to the Crime Branch, which traced one RTGS transaction in May to an account belonging to Shri Balaji Tractor, held in the name of Sunil Singla, a resident of Haryana. Police found that his account had earlier been used in several cyber fraud cases. He was arrested on May 11. Police also managed to block the onward transfer of one Rs 15 lakh tranche. Of this, Rs 12 lakh was recovered and returned to the victim.
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