Cyber Cell arrests three for duping senior citizen of Rs 16 lakh in ‘digital arrest’ scam

NEW DELHI: The Cyber Cell of the Delhi Police has arrested three men for allegedly defrauding a senior citizen of Rs 16 lakh through a so-called “digital arrest” scam by impersonating officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The case was registered on December 7, 2025, at the Cyber Police Station in South-West Delhi after the elderly complainant reported receiving a WhatsApp video call from a man posing as a CBI inspector. The caller falsely claimed that her son was involved in a criminal case and placed her under “digital arrest”, keeping her under continuous video surveillance and psychological pressure for two days.

Fearing legal consequences, the woman transferred Rs 16 lakh to multiple bank accounts provided by the fraudsters.

The accused have been identified as Yogendra Gujjar (19), a resident of Malpura in Kotputli, Rajasthan; Chotu Lal Meena (20), from Ganesh Nagar, Pratap Nagar, Jaipur; and Rakesh Meena (25), a resident of Sanganer, Jaipur.

According to police, Rs 1 lakh in cash, nine mobile phones, and 10 passbooks and chequebooks linked to mule bank accounts were recovered from their possession.

Investigators traced the money trail to mule accounts arranged in Kotputli. Gujjar was first apprehended for procuring bank accounts from locals and supplying them to co-accused Chotu Lal Meena, who allegedly passed

them on to the purported mastermind, Rakesh Meena, operating from Jaipur.

Subsequent raids in Jaipur led to the arrest of Rakesh and Chotu Lal from a rented accommodation in Sanganer.

Police said the trio supplied mule accounts to cyber fraudsters, including handlers based abroad, facilitating digital arrest scams and other online crimes. Further investigation is under way.