Police arrested a man suspected to be a mastermind behind a digital arrest scam in which a city-based doctor was held hostage over the phone for three days and cheated out of ₹80 lakh. The suspect accused the doctor of involvement in a money laundering case linked to a probe against Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal.
According to officials, a group of fraudsters contacted Rajat Bandopadhyay, the doctor, initially posing as representatives of a courier company. They falsely claimed that a package booked in his name had been intercepted for containing objectionable materials. The call was then transferred to individuals pretending to be Mumbai police officers, who informed Bandopadhyay about the “charges” against him.
“Frightened by the accusations, Bandopadhyay complied with their demands in an attempt to avoid his so-called "digital arrest." Under pressure, he transferred ₹80 lakh to bank accounts specified by the scammers,” said an officer of Bidhannagar police commissionerate where the complaint was lodged.
Following an investigation, the Bidhannagar police tracked down and arrested Mohammad Amir, a 27-year-old resident of Lodhipura, Rajasthan, on Tuesday night. Amir is believed to have played a crucial role in facilitating the scam by using fraudulent Aadhaar cards to open mule accounts, where the siphoned funds were deposited.
Police sources revealed that Bandopadhyay had received the deceptive call in September last year. “The fraudsters manipulated him into believing he was implicated in a high-profile financial investigation. Exploiting his fear of arrest and potential damage to his reputation, they coerced him into transferring the large sum of money,” said the officer.
The case was reported to Narayanpur police station under the Bidhannagar police commissionerate. The detective department took over the probe, leading to Amir’s arrest. He is being brought to Kolkata on transit remand for investigation.
Cybercrime officials have warned that digital arrest scams have increasingly targeted residents of Kolkata, particularly elderly citizens. Criminals exploit fear by threatening legal trouble or harm to family members, pressuring victims into transferring large sums of money.
A senior officer from Bidhannagar police’s cyber wing urged the public to remain vigilant and verify any such claims with law enforcement agencies before responding to calls related to “digital arrest”.
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