A doctor from Gandhinagar, Gujarat, lost her lifetime savings of Rs 19 crore after falling victim to a major cyber fraud. It all started on March 15, when she received a phone call from someone claiming that "objectionable content had been found on her phone." The caller threatened to cut her phone connection and file a money laundering case against her.
This was just the beginning of a series of calls. Over time, several people called her while pretending to be government officials, like a sub-inspector, a public prosecutor, and others. These fake calls were made to scare the doctor and force her to follow their instructions. This led to what is being called the ‘digital arrest’ of the doctor.
The woman was made to believe she was under constant watch. Over three months, she was manipulated into transferring Rs 19 crore to 35 different bank accounts. This included her savings, assets, and money obtained from a loan taken against her gold jewellery.
The fraudsters even made her share her location through video calls whenever she stepped out of her home. The psychological pressure was so strong that she believed she had no option but to obey.
Suddenly, one day, the calls stopped. When the doctor finally informed her family, it was already too late.
A complaint was filed on July 16, and the cyber cell of Gujarat’s CID Crime department began investigating. According to officials, this is one of the biggest digital arrest fraud cases in the country involving a single person.
During the investigation, one accused was arrested in Surat. His bank account had Rs 1 crore from the defrauded amount. He is now being questioned to find others involved in the scam.
The police are using digital clues to trace the masterminds and recover the remaining money. So far, only a small part of the stolen amount has been found. The search continues to locate and stop the entire fraud network.