Cyber Police Kashmir Zone crack Rs 21 lakh Digital Arrest Scam

Srinagar, Nov 29: Cyber Police Station Kashmir Zone Srinagar today cracked Rs 21 lakh digital fraud case with the arrest of three persons.

Addressing a press conference, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar Imtiyaz Hussain said Cyber Police Station took cognisance of a written complaint from a senior citizen of Srinagar city, who was allegedly defrauded of Rs 21 lakh in digital arrest scam. The SSP said the fraudsters impersonated officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to coerce the victim into transferring funds.

“The scammers accused the victim of being involved in money laundering involving Rs 6.8 crores and issued fabricated arrest warrants and penalties to intimidate him. Through psychological manipulation, they declared the conversations a “national secret,” instructed the victim to lock his house, avoid communication with others, and falsely assured him of a refund within hours. Under this pressure, the victim prematurely closed his fixed deposits and transferred Rs 21 lakh into a fraudulent HDFC Bank account,” he said.

The SSP said upon receiving the complaint, FIR No. 26/2024 was registered and Cyber Police Kashmir initiated a swift investigation. “Leveraging advanced technical tools, the police identified the culprits and dispatched teams to Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Punjab. The operation led to the arrests of Gaurav Kumar (Shamli, UP), Gurpreet Singh (Patiala, Punjab), and Ujjawal Chauhan (Patiala, Punjab).”

During the raids, the police seized four mobile phones, a MacBook, 13 SIM cards, 24 debit cards, 20 cheque books, 10 passbooks, and other incriminating materials. Pertinently, Rs 4.13 lakhs has been released into the account of the complainant.

“The accused persons face multiple charges, including fraud, conspiracy, and coercion. Further investigation is ongoing to uncover other conspirators and dismantle the larger network behind this scam,” he said.

SSP Srinagar was flanked by SP Cyber Police Kashmir Iftikhar Talib and DSP Headquarters Srinagar Syed Sleet Shah.

Cyber Police Kashmir Zone in a statement advised citizens to exercise extreme caution when sharing sensitive financial information. “Legitimate government agencies will never conduct investigations or arrests via video calls, demand payments, or request sensitive data over the phone. Always verify the identity of callers claiming to represent official authorities and report suspicious activities to the nearest Cyber Police station or cybercrime helplines immediately.”

“Cyber Police Kashmir remains committed to protecting citizens from the growing menace of cybercrimes and urges the public to stay informed and vigilant,” it added.