ONGC officer duped of ₹1.36 cr after ‘digital arrest’

An officer employed at Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) in Ahmedabad was duped of ₹1.36 crore after a digital arrest scam.

Triveni Patel, a resident of Gota works as a senior assistant at ONGC, Chandkheda.

On May 31, Patel got a call allegedly from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the caller informed her that her phone would be switched off in two hours. 

A few moments later, Patel received a video call where a man wearing a police uniform claimed to be from CBI.

He alleged that ₹2 crore of black money was found in her Canara Bank account, which was linked to her Aadhaar card, and warned that a warrant had been issued to digitally arrest her.

The caller then sent a fake Supreme Court document with a seal to her WhatsApp. Patel was shown a video of a courtroom and a judge, who asked to show her Aadhaar card and claimed that the funds in her account needed to be verified by the RBI.

Under pressure, Patel transferred ₹36 lakh to another bank account as part of the 'verification' process. In addition, the fraudsters coerced her into transferring funds from her mother’s bank account and fixed deposits — totalling ₹1.36 crore. 

When they further demanded money from selling her house, Patel confided in a relative, who realised it was a scam. 

Cybercrime police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.