'Digital arrest' scam: Two men held for duping woman of Rs 4.12 crore in Kochi

Kochi: Two men were arrested for allegedly swindling a woman in Kochi of Rs 4.12 crore in a 'digital arrest' cyber scam, police said on Sunday. The accused, Mohammed Muhasil (22) and Mishab K P (21), both from Areekode in Malappuram district, impersonated Delhi Police officers to carry out the fraud, according to police.

They contacted the victim, claiming a fraudulent bank account had been opened using her Aadhaar card. Fearing for her safety, the woman was falsely told she had been "digitally arrested" and was instructed to transfer Rs 4.12 crore to an account provided by the scammers to "verify" whether the funds had been obtained illegally, police said.

The case, initially registered at Thrikkakara police station, was later transferred to Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Murali MK, following instructions from Kochi City Police Commissioner Putta Vimaladitya. A special investigation team was formed to track down the culprits, the police added.

Investigators found that a large portion of the defrauded money was being withdrawn in Malappuram. The accused reportedly used multiple bank accounts belonging to different individuals to facilitate the withdrawals, making it harder to trace, police said.

Through a meticulous investigation focusing on call records and withdrawal locations, Kochi cyber police identified the suspects. It was revealed that they had used the stolen money to fund a lavish lifestyle, police added.

According to the police, the scam appears to be part of a broader fraud network operating across the country. PTI reported that an ongoing investigation is working to identify and arrest other individuals involved.