Representative image
MUMBAI: In a sophisticated twist to digital arrest scams, a 68-year-old woman from the western suburbs was duped of Rs 3.75 crore by fraudsters who staged a mock virtual court hearing featuring a man who claimed he was “Justice Chandrachud”. Moving beyond the usual khaki-clad impersonations, the scammers got the victim to write an “essay on her life”. While the masterminds remain at large, the West Cyber Police have arrested a 46-year-old man from Gujarat for receiving a major portion of the stolen funds into his bank account. Police said the actual callers often operate from outside the country where it’s tough for Indian law enforcement to reach them. The woman’s ordeal began on Aug 18 when she received a call from “Colaba police station” claiming her bank account was linked to a Rs 6 crore money laundering case.
The complainant explained she did not operate any such bank account. But the caller had already assigned her a “case number” and a letter with details about her case. To “prove” her innocence, she was subjected to a series of high-pressure tactics. She was forbidden from disclosing case details to anyone and threatened with arrest. The complainant submitted her bank details to the scammers, as instructed by them. She was put under “24-hour surveillance” even as her case was being assigned to CBI. “Officer S K Jaiswal” took over & asked her to pen a 2-3 page essay about her life to evaluate her character. He said he was convinced of her innocence and assured her she would get bail soon. Her hearing was arranged before “Justice Chandrachud” soon after.The hearing started over video call and a man in judicial robes appeared, posing as “Justice Chandrachud”. He asked her details about her money laundering case and “rejected her bail” when she pleaded non-guilty. She was asked to submit all her wealth for scrutiny and to redeem all her mutual funds as well. She transferred Rs 3.75 crore between Aug and Oct to the scammers. But when she never got back any if her money, she approached police.
