For 12 days, a 79-year-old Kandivli resident lived in fear of being ‘arrested’ after fraudsters allegedly posing as Delhi Police kept him under constant pressure through WhatsApp video calls, accused him of aiding a terror-extortion racket, and forced him to transfer nearly Rs 9 lakh. The Charkop police have registered an FIR and begun tracing the callers.

The ordeal began on October 3 when the senior citizen received a WhatsApp call from a man introducing himself as Head Constable Gupesh Kumar. The caller claimed the victim’s SIM would be blocked within two hours because it had been used by a man named Mohammad Nawab Malik in an extortion case. “He was told not to tell anyone or he would be arrested,” the police said.

The fraudster then displayed a fabricated FIR and bank screenshots over the video call, before escalating the threat by handing the phone to a man posing as DCP Rajiv Kumar, the name of an actual IPS officer serving with the Delhi Police.

Over the next several days, the two repeatedly contacted him, sent fake RBI notices, and insisted that his bank accounts had to undergo “money-laundering verification”.

Under this sustained intimidation, the pensioner broke his FD and transferred Rs 2.2 lakh on October 6 to a private bank account named by the scammers. The next day, he was coerced into sending Rs 77,000 from another account. On October 14, after being told his mutual funds must also be “cleared”, he transferred R6 lakh to a third mule account. The callers assured him that the money would be returned the same evening and then disappeared.

Realising he had been duped, the victim first filed a complaint with the ‘1930’ helpline and later approached Charkop police, who are now probing the mule accounts used in the fraud.

“No police, agency or RBI officer can put you under ‘digital arrest’. There is no such thing as a digital arrest in Indian law. If somebody says so, please call ‘1930’ or reach out to the nearest police station,” said an officer.

How to report cybercrime

. Call ‘1930’ immediately freezing transactions
. File a complaint with national portal for online frauds — cybercrime.gov.in
. File a report at any police station

Timeline of the crime

October 3
. Fraudster posing as Delhi cop calls victim; claims his SIM card will be blocked in two hours
. Victim told SIM linked to terror-extortion case
. Screenshots of fake FIR and bank documents sent; victim warned not to tell anyone
. Constant WhatsApp video call intimidation begins

October 4-6
. Scam intensifies; another caller poses as DCP Rajiv Kumar
. Fake RBI verification notices sent to victim
. Victim pressured to share bank details and cooperate
. Victim forced to break FD, transfer Rs 2.2 lakh to mule account October 7
. Fraudsters demand money
. Victim transfers Rs 77,000 to another mule account for “verification”

October 8-13
. Daily video calls continue; victim repeatedly threatened with arrest for money laundering
.  Victim told his accounts will be “cleared” only remaining funds transferred

October 14
.  Fraudsters make final demand: sell/withdraw mutual funds
. Victim transfers R6 lakh to third mule account
. Scammers promise all the money will be returned the same evening, then disappear

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