TGCSB Rescues Doctor, His Family From 'Digital Arrest'

Hyderabad: Officials from the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) rescued a doctor from the digital arrest. The District Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (D4C), Kothagudem district, working under TGCSB foiled a major digital arrest-cum-extortion attempt. The rescued elderly doctor and his family were undergoing a severe harassment for the past three days by the cyberfraudsters impersonating as CBI officers.

Victim Dr. Buddharaju Subbaraju, 80, who runs Neela Nursing Home, Bhadrachalam, is residing with his daughter- in-law and his granddaughter.

According to TGCSB director, Dr. Subbaraju received WhatsApp video calls from offenders impersonating as CBI officials and the scammers falsely claimed that a bank account was opened with his Aadhaar number in Mumbai, and was linked to more than 100 laundering cases and it was being investigated by the CBI.

To terrorise the family, the fraudsters instructed them not to inform anyone, claiming they were “under CBI surveillance" and forced them to maintain hourly video-call contact. The scammers procured bank details from the victim, including amounts available in bank accounts and fixed deposits. The victim was coerced to prematurely break the FDs and prepare transferring of funds.

When the family stopped responding to the fraudsters' phone calls and the victim also stopped visiting clinic, his assistant grew suspicious. Upon persistent enquiry, the victims disclosed the ongoing coercion. The assistant then informed D4C Kothagudem Deputy SP Ashok Babu over phone, about the ordeals the doctor was facing. Immediately, deputy SP Ashok Babu and inspector Jitender reached the residence of Dr. Subbaraju and snapped communication lines with the fraudsters.

Timely intervention prevented a major financial loss and ended the family’s traumatic experience.

“Cyber crime police have initiated a detailed technical probe. Tracing of the fraudsters’ IP addresses, analysis of call routing, examination of device identifiers, and coordination with service providers and national cybercrime platforms are currently in progress to identify the scammers and dismantle their network,” the director added.