Elderly couple in Ahmedabad ‘digitally arrested’, duped of ₹18 lakh by cyber fraudsters

A 65-year-old man from the Sardarnagar area in Ahmedabad has lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police Station after he and his wife were allegedly 'digitally arrested' and cheated of ₹18.7 lakh by cyber fraudsters who impersonated senior officials from the Delhi Telecom Branch, Mumbai Crime Branch and even the judiciary.

As per the First Information Report (FIR), the fraud unfolded between October 18 and November 20, 2025, when unknown persons contacted Ramchand Chanchaldas Utwani through a series of WhatsApp voice and video calls from multiple mobile numbers. The callers allegedly acted in concert as part of a pre-planned conspiracy to intimidate and extort money.

On October 18, around 4 pm, Utwani received a WhatsApp call from a person identifying himself as 'Vijay Sharma', claiming to be an officer from the Delhi telecom branch. The caller alleged that a SIM card issued using Utwani’s Aadhaar details in Tilaknagar, Mumbai, was being used for illegal activities and that an FIR had been registered with the Mumbai Crime Branch. The complainant was told he was under 'house arrest' and warned not to share the information with anyone.

The following day, another caller introduced himself as 'S K Jaiswal', claiming to be an investigation officer with the Mumbai Crime Branch. He alleged that Utwani had provided his bank account and SIM card to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal for a commission and had received ₹20 lakh as part of a money laundering operation. To reinforce the deception, the accused allegedly sent forged documents, photographs and letters bearing the names of law enforcement agencies and courts.

The complainant told police that he and his wife Seema were repeatedly contacted via WhatsApp voice and video calls from different mobile numbers and were instructed to remain indoors, keep their doors locked and speak to the accused only over video calls. The callers allegedly threatened that 'criminal associates' would murder them if they informed anyone or stepped out without permission.

The accused showed Utwani a staged court proceeding via video call and demanded ₹20 lakh as bail money, claiming it would be deposited with the Reserve Bank of India and refunded after verification. Believing the claims, Utwani sold shares from his demat accounts and transferred ₹15.2 lakh via RTGS to a Yes Bank account on October 27. Two days later, after selling family jewellery, he transferred another ₹3.5 lakh to a UCO Bank account, taking the total amount to ₹18.7 lakh.

The fraudsters allegedly sent fake receipts and letters purportedly issued by the Enforcement Directorate and the Supreme Court of India, including forged documents bearing the name and purported signature of the Chief Justice of India, to maintain pressure and credibility. When the accused later demanded that Utwani sell his house to pay the remaining amount, he refused, after which communication abruptly stopped.

The fraud came to light on November 20 when the complainant’s daughter grew suspicious and informed her parents about similar 'digital arrest' cyber scams. Utwani subsequently contacted the cyber crime helpline number 1930, filed an online complaint, and later approached the Cyber Crime Police Station in Ahmedabad. He has submitted available WhatsApp chats and digital evidence on a pen drive to investigators.

Police have registered a case against unknown persons for cheating, criminal breach of trust, impersonation and cyber fraud. The investigation has been handed over to a police inspector of the cyber crime unit and efforts are on to trace the mobile numbers, bank accounts and digital trails used in the scam.