An elderly retired defence couple living in Chikhali, Pune, allegedly lost ₹76.22 lakh after cyber fraudsters posing as police officers trapped them in a fake “digital arrest” scam.
The fraud reportedly took place between 2 and 9 September 2026. According to the complaint, the 68-year-old woman first received a video call from an unknown person who introduced himself as a Mumbai Police officer.
How the fraud started?
The caller allegedly told the woman that her Aadhaar details had been used to purchase a SIM card and that several complaints were registered against the number.
The fraudsters then claimed that she was linked to an international money-laundering case and allegedly showed her a purported arrest warrant.
She was reportedly instructed to remain available on video call, keep her camera switched on and avoid discussing the matter with others.
According to the complaint, the fraudsters subsequently asked about the couple’s bank deposits, savings and jewellery.
FDs broken and ₹76.22 lakh transferred
The couple were allegedly told that their money needed to be transferred for “verification”. They were also reportedly made to break fixed deposits and arrange funds against their gold jewellery.
Police said three RTGS transactions were made:
- ₹7.51 lakh on 4 September
- ₹34.51 lakh on 7 September
- ₹34.20 lakh on 7 September
The total reported loss was ₹76.22 lakh.
The money was allegedly transferred to three different bank accounts linked to Odisha, Pune and Delhi.
The fraudsters also reportedly sent receipts claiming that the transferred amount had been deposited into government accounts.
When communication with the callers eventually stopped, the woman approached Chikhali Police Station and the suspected fraud came to light.
A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act.
According to the media report, the couple are retired defence personnel and their son had served in the Indian Air Force before his death in 2018.
Another Army veteran lost ₹1.28 crore in a similar case
The incident comes shortly after another digital-arrest fraud involving a retired Army veteran in Pune.
The Indian Express reported on 14 September 2026 that a retired Army veteran in his 70s had allegedly lost around ₹1.28 crore after fraudsters impersonated officials from the Telecom Department, Mumbai Crime Branch and CBI.
In that case too, the victim was allegedly questioned about bank accounts, fixed deposits and gold before being persuaded to transfer large amounts of money.
The two separate cases together involve reported losses of more than ₹2.04 crore, although this combined figure is not an official police statistic.
Government says there is no such thing as a ‘Digital Arrest’
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has already warned citizens about criminals impersonating Police, CBI, RBI, ED and other government officials through phone and video calls.
The official advisory makes one point particularly clear:
There is no concept of “Digital Arrest” under Indian law.
Government agencies do not require citizens to remain under arrest through WhatsApp, Skype or similar video calls, nor should people transfer money simply because a caller claims it is required for investigation or verification.
Anyone facing a suspicious cybercrime call should independently verify the claim instead of following the caller’s instructions.
If money has already been transferred in a suspected cyber fraud, the matter should be reported immediately through the national cybercrime helpline 1930 and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal — cybercrime.gov.in.
For veterans and pensioners, the Pune cases are an important reminder: a person appearing in uniform on a video call, displaying an official-looking document or claiming to represent Police or CBI should not be trusted without independent verification.
Sources
Times of India — 24 September 2026: Retired defence couple lose ₹76 lakh to Digital Arrest fraud
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/retired-defence-couple-lose-76l-to-digital-arrest-fraud/articleshow/134444492.cms
The Indian Express — 14 September 2026: Pune Army veteran duped of ₹1.28 crore in Digital Arrest scam
https://indianexpress.com/article/pune/pune-retired-army-veteran-duped-crore-digital-arrest-scam-cyber-police-fir-10877999/
Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C): Digital Arrest advisory
https://cybercrime.gov.in/pdf/Advisories/ADVISORYTAU-ADV-003DigitalArrest06.03.2025.pdf
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal:
https://cybercrime.gov.in/
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