Retired Court Registrar in Umargam Duped of ₹30.76 Lakh in 'Digital Arrest' Cyber Fraud

A retired court registrar from Gujarat's Umargam was allegedly duped of ₹30.76 lakh in a 'digital arrest' cyber fraud after scammers posing as officials from the Mumbai Crime Branch and Delhi Telecom Department threatened to implicate him in a money laundering case.

The victim, Ishwarbhai Bhagwanji Patel (62), a resident of Saronda village in Umargam and a retired registrar of the Valsad court, has filed a complaint with the Valsad Cyber Crime Police.

Threatened With Fake Money Laundering Case

According to the complaint, Patel received a call on July 9, 2026, from an unknown number. The caller claimed to be an official from the Delhi Telecom Department and alleged that another SIM card issued in his name was being used for illegal activities.

Soon after, another fraudster introduced himself as an officer from the Mumbai Crime Branch and accused Patel of being linked to a ₹5 lakh money laundering case involving Naresh Goyal.

To make the claims appear genuine, the fraudsters allegedly shared forged documents carrying the logos and seals of the Supreme Court, CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Kept Under 'Digital Arrest'

The scammers allegedly instructed Patel to remain inside his house, avoid informing anyone about the matter and stay connected on a continuous video call, claiming he was under "digital arrest."

Using the pretext of verifying his bank transactions, they convinced him to liquidate investments from his SBI account and mutual funds.

The victim then transferred ₹30.76 lakh in multiple transactions to bank accounts in DCB Bank and ICICI Bank, believing he was cooperating with an official investigation.

Family's Suspicion Exposes Fraud

The fraud came to light on July 31, when the scammers allegedly asked Patel to purchase gold.

When he visited a bank for the transaction, his wife and children grew suspicious and began questioning him. After verifying the facts, they realised he had fallen victim to a cyber fraud and immediately approached the Valsad Cyber Crime Police.

Police have registered an FIR against unidentified accused under relevant sections related to cheating and cybercrime and have launched an investigation.