In a shocking case that highlights the growing sophistication of cybercrime in India, a 68-year-old retired banker from Lucknow was defrauded of his entire life savings amounting to a staggering Rs 2.75 crore. The elaborate scam involved the victim being held under a so-called 'digital arrest' for nearly a month by fraudsters impersonating government and law enforcement officials.
The Anatomy of a Digital Kidnapping
The victim, identified as Siddharth Nath, a resident of Vikasnagar, detailed his harrowing experience in a complaint filed at the Vikasnagar police station on Thursday. According to his statement, the nightmare began on August 30, 2025, when he received a phone call. The caller, pretending to be an official from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), claimed that a SIM card registered in Nath's name in Mumbai was involved in serious illegal activities, including money laundering.
The call was then swiftly transferred to another individual posing as a police officer. This imposter informed Nath that he was now a prime accused in a major money laundering investigation. To instill fear and ensure compliance, the fraudsters declared that Nath was under 'digital arrest'. They proceeded to share forged documents, including fake court orders and arrest warrants, to lend credibility to their threats.
Coercion and Financial Drain
The scammers told the retired banker that he was on a seven-day remand, which they repeatedly extended. From September 2 to September 22, they systematically coerced him into liquidating his lifelong investments. Under the false pretext of 'verifying the legality' of his funds, Nath was forced to break his fixed deposits (FDs), sell his mutual funds, and offload his shares.
The proceeds, totalling Rs 2.75 crore, were then transferred from his bank accounts to numerous fraudulent accounts spread across different states. The fraudsters maintained constant communication, monitoring his every move and ensuring he did not speak to anyone about the 'case'.
Investigation Launched, Syndicate Suspected
The elaborate charade finally collapsed on September 24. The accused, emboldened by their success, demanded an additional Rs 50 lakh from Nath, labeling it as 'bail charges'. When the elderly man expressed his inability to arrange any more money, all communication from the fraudsters ceased abruptly.
Realising he had been swindled, Siddharth Nath approached the police. He has also lodged a formal complaint on the national cybercrime reporting portal. The Lucknow police have registered a case and the cybercrime cell has initiated a detailed investigation.
Police officials confirmed they are actively tracking the UTR numbers and the money trail to identify the recipients of the stolen funds. A senior officer involved in the probe stated, 'This appears to be the work of an organised inter-state cybercrime syndicate.' This case marks the second major 'digital arrest' scam reported in Lucknow this year, signalling a dangerous new trend in financial fraud targeting vulnerable citizens.
