A 62-year-old resident of Puttur taluk in Karnataka allegedly lost Rs 1.31 crore after fraudsters posing as Mumbai Police and Anti-Terrorism Squad officials threatened to arrest him in connection with money laundering and terrorist funding, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle – South.
The incident involved a prolonged ‘digital arrest’ operation in which the fraudsters allegedly kept the resident under surveillance through WhatsApp video calls and directed him to transfer money to multiple bank accounts. They claimed he had transferred funds to people linked to the Pahalgam terror attack and told him that an arrest warrant had been issued by the Bombay High Court.
The victim received a call from an unidentified number at about 3 pm on August 27. The caller, who spoke in Hindi and English, allegedly identified himself as a Mumbai Police official and said the Mumbai ATS would investigate the matter. The resident was then instructed to join a WhatsApp video call from another number.
During the call, a person claiming to be an ATS official allegedly told him that the matter was confidential. He was instructed to sit in a closed room and prevent family members from hearing the conversation. The fraudsters allegedly sent notices through WhatsApp, accused him of involvement in criminal offences and directed him to surrender at the Mumbai ATS office within 48 hours.
The callers allegedly used details of the resident’s bank accounts and specific financial transactions to make their claims appear genuine. They also threatened legal action if he discussed the matter with family members or friends. The fraudsters then directed him to transfer money through the Real Time Gross Settlement system to bank accounts provided by them.
According to the report, the resident transferred a total of Rs 1.31 crore, or Rs 1,31,50,000, in several instalments between September 2 and October 6. The money allegedly included funds raised by pledging gold and taking loans against his property, significantly increasing the financial consequences of the fraud.
The case came to light on October 8 after the resident’s daughter, who is based in Bengaluru, alerted him to a similar incident in Mangaluru. He subsequently contacted the cybercrime helpline 1930 and approached the police.
The Cyber Crime Police Station in Dakshina Kannada has registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act and Sections 126(2), 204, 308(6), 318(4), 319(2) and 351, read with Section 3(5), of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused persons had not been identified in the report, and the allegations remain subject to investigation.
The incident highlights the operational pattern of digital arrest fraud: impersonation of public authorities, claims of serious criminal involvement, demands for secrecy and instructions to transfer money for supposed verification. The police investigation and any efforts to trace or recover the transferred funds will determine the next steps in the case.
