Elderly couple loses over Rs 2cr in 15-day ‘digital arrest’ ordeal

Chandigarh: For over two weeks, an elderly couple in Chandigarh lived in fear of an arrest that never existed. By the time the deception lifted, their life’s savings — over Rs 2.15 crore — were gone.

Retired bank employees, the couple received a call from a man claiming to be a CBI officer from Mumbai. He accused them of being linked to serious crimes, including money laundering and drug trafficking, and warned of imminent arrest. What followed was a relentless psychological siege.

The callers kept the couple under what is known as a “digital arrest” — isolating them, instructing them not to speak to anyone, and threatening legal action if they disobeyed. Cut off from family and gripped by fear, the couple complied with every demand.

They first transferred savings from their own accounts. Then came larger transactions — RTGS transfers, borrowed money from relatives, and even the sale of gold jewellery accumulated over a lifetime. Each payment was framed as a step to “protect” them from investigation.

The breaking point came when the fraudsters demanded they mortgage their house and take a bank loan. Having already lost everything, the couple refused. The calls stopped.

Only then did the realisation sink in.

They informed their family and approached the cyber police in Sector 17. A case has been registered against unidentified persons, but no arrests have been made so far. Investigators are now tracing transaction trails and phone numbers linked to the crime.

Police said the couple had been living alone, with their son working outside the city — a factor cyber criminals increasingly exploit. Officers described the victims as being in deep shock.

Authorities reiterated that “digital arrest” is a scam tactic — no investigative agency confines individuals over phone or video calls, nor demands money to avoid action. Citizens have been urged to report such calls immediately on helpline 1930.