What is Digital Arrest? How Cybercrooks Duped Vardhman Group Chief SP Oswal of Rs 7 Crore

New Delhi: SP Oswal, chairperson of the Vardhman Group and a recepient of Padma Bhushan award, was duped of Rs 7 crore by cyberfraudsters after he was digitally arrested. A police investigation in the case revealed that Oswal was digitally arrested in the guise of suvelliance for two days by the cyber cons who posed as CBI officials.

What is a ‘Digital Arrest’? 

'Digital arrest' is the newest form of cyber scam in which targeted victims are made to stay on video calls for hours till they transfer all their money. So far, there is nothing called digital arrests in law.

This a deceptive tactic is used by cyber frauds to exploit people under the guise of law enforcement or investigative agencies.  It usually involves conmen reaching out to potential victims through phone calls or digital means, falsely claiming that there is a warrant for their arrest or that they are under investigation. These conmen then demand sensitive information, such as personal or financial details. 

How Paul Oswal Was Duped?

In a shocking case of cyber fraud, prominent industrialist Paul Oswal was duped of Rs 7 crore by a gang of inter-state fraudsters. The scam involved fraudsters withdrawing a large sum from various bank accounts belonging to Oswal. The gang managed to deceive him by having one member impersonate a CBI officer, showing him a fake arrest warrant and threatening him with digital arrest.

The cyber cell of the police registered the case on the complaint of Oswal and said it solved the case within 48 hours. Ludhiana Police swiftly responded to the incident, arresting two members of the gang and recovering Rs 5.25 crore of the stolen funds.  

Ludhiana Police Commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal confirmed that the arrested criminals, Atanoo Choudhary and Anand Kumar Choudhary, hail from Guwahati, Assam . The police have identified seven other members of the gang, who are from Assam and West Bengal, and were working to apprehend them. This incident comes just days after another Ludhiana industrialist, Rajnish Ahuja, was defrauded of Rs 1.01 crore in a similar scam involving threats of arrest.