Delhi crime: Doctor duped of Rs 15 lakh in ‘digital arrest’ scam

A bank employee, who arranged corporate bank accounts for cyber frauds on commission, has been apprehended from West Bengal’s Kolkata in connection with a ‘digital arrest’ scam wherein a Delhi-based doctor was duped of around Rs 15 lakh, an official on Saturday said.

The accused, identified as Buddhadev Hazara (31), has worked in the loan departments of several banks, he added.

The official said that Hazara, an MBA graduate from Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad, allegedly started arranging corporate bank accounts for cyber frauds on commission under the influence of a man named John from Barrackpore, West Bengal.

One more accused, identified as Md Sahin Khan (30), has been apprehended from Karnataka’s Bengaluru after a Delhi-based doctor was defrauded of Rs 14.85 lakh, he added.

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Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rishi Kumar said that at least 10 more complaints from various states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka, have been found linked to the same bank accounts operated by the accused.

“The complainant, a doctor based in Delhi, alleged that he received a phone call from someone posing as a government official who threatened him with arrest in a fabricated legal case. The caller coerced the doctor into transferring Rs 14,85,921 to avoid digital arrest,” he added.

A case was registered under sections 170 (impersonating a public servant), 384 (extortion), 388 (extortion by threat of accusation), 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) following the complaint at the Cyber Police Station, Central District, the officer said.

The technical analysis revealed that the defrauded amount was transferred to a bank account in the name of ‘S.K. Rice Wholesaler & Trading’ and another person on February 26, he added.

The officer said the investigators used digital surveillance to track the accused and arrested Sahin Khan near Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru on July 2.

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“During questioning, Khan disclosed that he had shared his bank account credentials, including internet banking details, cheque book and ATM card, with Buddhadev Hazara in exchange for a commission of Rs 1.5 lakh,” said Kumar, adding that Hazara was later traced and arrested from Kolkata.

Hazara admitted to receiving Rs 3 lakh in total from the fraud, out of which he gave half to Khan, police said.

Efforts are underway to trace the other members of the racket, including the alleged mastermind John, and to recover the defrauded money, they said.

Four mobile phones — two from each accused — were recovered, police said.