Assam man arrested in Chennai for involvement in Rs 92 lakh digital fraud scam

The Chennai Police, on November 19 arrested a man from Assam in connection with a digital fraud scam in Tamil Nadu, where he allegedly coerced a retired government official into transferring approximately Rs 92 lakh.

Police said that the suspect, identified as Partha Pratim Bora (38), a resident of Assam's Morigaon district impersonated as Mumbai police and had "digitally arrested" the retired official.

Bora was arrested and produced before the CJM court, Guwahati, and after obtaining transit warrant, he was brought to Chennai and produced before the XIth Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Saidapet. He was remanded to judicial custody, and lodged at the Central Prison, Puzhal in Chennai, police said.

Investigation revealed that Bora operated a bank account in the name of a healthcare service and that he received Rs 3.82 crore in eight transactions allegedly through the fraudulent practice of 'digital arrest'. The entire sum was transferred to 178 various bank accounts in different states on a single day on September 4, the police said in a release here.

"Bora admitted committing the offence with other persons residing in Delhi, Gujarat, West Bengal and other states," the release added.

On September 3, a retired administrative officer of CPWD in Thiruvanmiyur received a Whatsapp video call from a caller, who claimed to be a Maharashtra police. The retired official was told that a case was registered against him and an arrest warrant was pending.

"The caller instructed him to appear in Mumbai saying that a money laundering case was pending against him in which his Aadhaar-linked mobile was involved. The caller also duped him saying the call was being forwarded to a senior telecommunication officer, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)," the release said.

He was asked to be on WhatsApp video call until the "enquiry was completed". On September 4, the retired official was asked to liquidate all his fixed deposits and transfer to a bank account which they termed as Reserve Bank of India's bank account. They made him believe that the amount would be returned after due verification.

The unsuspecting retired official transferred Rs 57 lakh and another Rs 35 lakh to the bank account number they gave. Later, realising that he was cheated and tortured in the name of digital arrest, he preferred a complaint with the police. Accordingly, the Central Crime Branch CCD-I registered a case.

Meanwhile, Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A Arun has appealed to the public to remain cautious about such fake calls. He urged the people not to transfer money to unknown bank accounts, the release said.