Bhimavaram Police Bust International Digital Arrest Scam Gang

Bhimavaram: In a major breakthrough, Bhimavaram police uncovered an international cybercrime network involved in “digital arrest” scams, which have recently targeted vulnerable and retired individuals.

The investigation began after retired professor Sharma was conned out of ₹78 lakh. The fraudsters contacted him claiming to be CBI officials and told him that there was a discrepancy with his SIM card. They allegedly threatened him with a “digital arrest” and coerced him into sharing his Aadhaar and bank account details. Over a period of 13 days, the gang transferred ₹78 lakh from his account.

Following the complaint, Crime Branch police registered a case, formed seven special teams, and launched a coordinated operation. The police identified 14 accused and arrested 13 of them. The prime accused, Rahtay Jay Nayan from Mumbai, remains on the run.

West Godavari District SP Adnan Nayeem Asmi revealed the case details. He stated that many victims in similar cases are retired individuals or those living alone. He also confirmed that the call to the victim originated from Bengaluru, disguised as a telecom verification call.

Of the accused, seven had previously worked in Cambodia. The police succeeded in recovering ₹42 lakh and freezing another ₹19 lakh across various bank accounts marking one of the highest recoveries made in such scam cases. The accused include individuals from Telugu states, Karnataka, and even educated professionals, including a software engineer working for a reputed company.

“There is no such thing as a ‘digital arrest’. Anyone receiving such calls should immediately contact the police,” the SP warned.