Delhi Police arrest three in West Bengal for Rs 7.22 lakh digital arrest scam
The Delhi Police's Cyber South unit has dismantled an organised cyber fraud network and arrested three suspects in West Bengal for allegedly running a "digital arrest" scam. The arrests followed an investigation into a complaint filed at the Cyber South Police Station in Delhi, where a female victim was defrauded of Rs 7.22 lakh by fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officials.
The victim filed her complaint after being targeted by fraudsters posing as officials from the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the Indian Police Service (IPS), and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The callers kept the victim on continuous WhatsApp video calls and intimidated her with threats of legal action. Under pressure, she transferred Rs 7.22 lakh through RTGS to bank accounts provided by the fraudsters.
Following the report, investigators at the Cyber South Police Station analysed banking transactions and digital evidence to trace the movement of the defrauded funds. They discovered that the money was initially sent to a bank account in West Bengal before being routed through multiple other accounts to complicate the financial trail.
Using technical surveillance and financial analysis, police teams traced the suspects to West Bengal. Raids were conducted in the South 24 Parganas and Howrah districts, resulting in the arrests of Samiran Roy, Prince Shaw, and Samar Chatterjee.
During the operation, police officers seized six mobile phones, one laptop, 18 debit and credit cards, 15 SIM cards, and various banking documents linked to the alleged fraud.
According to the Delhi Police, the three arrested men were responsible for arranging mule bank accounts, SIM cards, and banking credentials. These resources enabled cybercriminals to receive, transfer, and conceal illegally obtained money, making it difficult for law enforcement to trace the proceeds of the crime.
Investigators are currently examining whether the suspects are part of a larger organised syndicate with international links, as preliminary findings suggest potential connections to wider cyber fraud networks.
