Ex-district judge, 90, kept under ‘digital arrest’, cheated of ₹2.5 cr in Jaipur

A 90-year-old retired district judge in Jaipur, Rajasthan, has fallen prey to a sophisticated cyber scam involving "digital arrest," resulting in a loss of approximately ₹2.5 crore. According to police reports, the elderly man, Ganpat Singh Bhandari, was allegedly targeted by individuals impersonating Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officials. These fraudsters reportedly kept him under constant surveillance via video calls for over 15 days, pressuring him to transfer large sums of money to various bank accounts. The incident began on July 28 when Bhandari received a WhatsApp video call from a person claiming to be a CBI officer based in Mumbai. The caller informed Bhandari that a ₹50-crore hawala transaction had been uncovered in Mumbai and that ₹40 lakh from the proceeds had been deposited into his State Bank of India (SBI) account. The fraudsters allegedly threatened to arrest Bhandari unless he cooperated with the investigation, warning that failure to comply could result in legal action against him and even involve his family members. Under intense psychological pressure, Bhandari was instructed to delete all communication records, including WhatsApp chats and call logs, following each interaction. He was also warned against discussing the situation with anyone, including family members, fearing public embarrassment or legal repercussions. For several days, he followed these instructions, believing the threat to be genuine. Between August 3 and August 10, Bhandari allegedly transferred around ₹2.5 crore to different bank accounts as directed by the callers. On Wednesday, while attempting to complete another transfer at the SBI branch in Johri Bazaar, the bank manager noticed unusual activity and questioned Bhandari about the transaction. Upon learning the context, the manager suspected a cyber fraud and immediately alerted Bhandari. The former judge then contacted his nephew, Ravindra Singh Mohanaut, who filed a formal complaint with the Jyoti Nagar police station. Police authorities confirmed that they received the complaint on Wednesday and have already recorded Bhandari's statement. A portion of the stolen funds, around ₹14 lakh, has been successfully frozen. Officers are currently investigating the remaining amount to determine how the money was transferred and subsequently withdrawn. They are also examining the bank accounts involved in the transactions in an effort to trace the perpetrators of the alleged cyber fraud. The case highlights the growing prevalence of "digital arrest" scams, where criminals exploit victims' fears of legal consequences by impersonating law enforcement agencies. Such schemes often rely on psychological manipulation and the creation of a false sense of urgency. In response to such incidents, the Supreme Court has recently tightened regulations to prevent similar occurrences, and the Reserve Bank of India is working on standard operating procedures to address cases involving mule bank accounts. As the investigation continues, authorities remain focused on recovering the lost funds and identifying the individuals responsible for the fraudulent activities. The case underscores the need for increased awareness among the public regarding the risks associated with unsolicited communications and the importance of verifying the authenticity of such claims before taking any action.