Noida Police nabs six of ‘digital arrest’ gang

NOIDA: Cyber crime unit of Noida Police have arrested six members of a gang involved in “digital arrests” and other fraudulent activities, including drug trafficking, illegal passport creation, and money laundering, from Rajasthan, officials said on Sunday.

The gang’s activities were traced to 73 complaints registered across multiple states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra, Punjab, and others, they said

Digital house arrest is a tactic where cybercriminals confine victims to their homes in order to scam them. Offenders generate fear by making audio or video calls, frequently posing as law enforcement officers using AI-generated voices or videos. The cybercriminals were apprehended from the Losal area in Sikar district, Rajasthan, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Vivek Ranjan Rai said.

“The gang operated by ‘digitally arresting’ gullible people and scaring them into believing they were involved in international criminal activities,” Rai said. “Investigations are ongoing, and relevant authorities in other states are being notified,” the officer said.

Police said the arrested individuals have been identified as Kishan, Lakhan, Mahendra, Sanjay Sharma, Praveen Jagind, and Shambhu Dayal.

According to police, on May 9-10, the gang duped a complainant of Rs 52.50 lakh by convincing him that his identity was being used to send a parcel abroad containing illegal drugs, passports, and credit cards.

The gang impersonated officials from Mumbai’s crime branch and other agencies, claiming to investigate money laundering, police reported. They used third-party bank accounts, phone calls, and WhatsApp messages along with fake IDs to deceive victims. As per police, the suspects convinced account holders that customs in Mumbai had seized their parcels with illegal items, warning them not to disclose details. Subsequently, the gang transferred victims’ money to fraudulent accounts.