Three men from Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, have been arrested by the Cyberabad Cyber Crime Police for their involvement in a ₹1.38 crore ‘digital arrest’ fraud.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Gokul Maruthachala Moorthi (24), Jafar Sereef (23), and Sharukh Khan (30). The trio played key roles in facilitating the scam by providing access to bank accounts used to siphon funds from unsuspecting victims. The police also seized three mobile phones used in the fraud, said the police.
The fraud came to light when an 82-year-old retired engineer from Hyderabad filed a complaint after falling victim to the scam. The victim received a call from a person posing as a State Bank of India representative, falsely claiming that an Anti-Money Laundering case had been filed against him.
The fraudster then connected him via WhatsApp to another individual impersonating a Mumbai Cyber Crime officer. “Using psychological manipulation and intimidation, the scammers coerced the victim into sharing his Aadhaar details and convinced him that he was implicated in financial crimes. Under immense pressure, the victim was tricked into transferring ₹1,38,60,000 across multiple bank accounts controlled by the fraudsters,” explained the police.
The Cyberabad Cyber Crime Police initiated a thorough investigation, which revealed that the stolen funds had been dispersed across various accounts.
“One significant transaction showed ₹9,60,000 credited to Gokul Maruthachala Moorthi’s Federal Bank account, which was later withdrawn by an associate named Rahul. Gokul had provided his account details, passbooks, ATM cards, and signed cheque books to Jafar Sereef and Sharukh Khan, who then passed them on to Rahul,” added the police.
Together, they operated a network that used fake identities and apps like WhatsApp and Telegram to pose as law enforcement officers, deceiving victims into sharing personal and financial information.
The Cyberabad Police have urged the public to remain vigilant against such scams. They advised citizens to be cautious of unknown callers claiming to be from banks or law enforcement agencies, emphasising that legitimate authorities never demand money or personal details over the phone. Individuals are encouraged to verify any legal threats through official channels and to report any cyber frauds immediately by calling 1930 or visiting www.cybercrime.gov.in.
Published – February 25, 2025 12:52 am IST