In one of the largest cyber-fraud cases reported in the national capital, an elderly doctor couple residing in Greater Kailash was allegedly swindled of nearly ₹14.85 crore. The victims were kept under a “digital arrest” for over two weeks by scammers posing as law enforcement and regulatory officials. The ordeal began on December 24, when Dr. Indira Taneja received a call from an individual claiming to be from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The caller alleged her phone number would be disconnected due to involvement in “obscene calls.”
The intimidation escalated quickly as the scammers:
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Impersonated Police: They transitioned the call to a video platform where a man in a police uniform appeared against a backdrop labeled “Colaba Police.”
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Alleged Money Laundering: The fraudsters claimed a bank account in the victims’ name was linked to a major money laundering case and national security threats.
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Exploited Isolation: Knowing the couple’s children live abroad and the husband was recovering from surgery, the scammers threatened immediate arrest in Mumbai unless they complied with a “digital verification” process.
Two Weeks of Constant Surveillance
Between December 24 and January 9, the couple was forced to remain on continuous video and phone calls. Under the guise of “verification” and “bail security,” the criminals pressured the doctors into transferring life savings into multiple bank accounts. The fraud only came to light on January 9 when the calls abruptly ceased. Realizing they had been manipulated, the couple approached the Delhi Police.
