Thane: Senior citizen duped of Rs 23.5 lakh on threat of digital arrest

A 68yearold man was allegedly cheated of Rs 235 lakh by cyber fraudsters who threatened him with digital arrest in Maharashtras Thane district police said on Monday reported news agency PTIThis is a second such incident reported in the district this week an official saidBased on a complaint the Kalyan police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act Assistant Inspector Vinod Patil of Mahatma Phule police station saidThe complainant alleged that two unidentified persons cheated him of Rs 235 lakh by threatening to place him under digital arrest and forced him to transfer money through online transactions between December 8 and 12 Patil said reported PTIDigital arrest is a growing form of cybercrime in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement officials or personnel of government agencies and intimidate victims through audiovideo calls They hold the victims hostage and put pressure on them to pay moneyHe said that the accused allegedly contacted the victim on WhatsApp video calls and claimed that his bank transactions were suspicious and linked to alleged irregularitiesThe fraudsters told him that he could be placed under digital arrest but assured him that they would help him avoid legal action if he cooperated the officer said reported PTIHe said that the accused repeatedly threatened the senior citizen and put pressure on him to make multiple online money transfers amounting to Rs 235 lakhThe fraud came to light after the victim narrated the incident to acquaintances and approached the police on realising he had been dupedWe are analysing bank transaction details call records and digital evidence to track down the accused Patil said reported PTIGST fraud Four booked for setting up fake firms claiming Rs 2206 crore ITCIn another incident a case has been registered against four persons in Maharashtras Thane district for allegedly creating fake GSTregistered firms and claiming input tax credit of more than Rs 2206 crore police said on Sunday reported PTIBased on a complaint lodged by an official from the State Goods and Services Tax SGST department the police in Kalyan on Thursday registered a case against Nikhil Gaikwad owner of Dynamic Enterprises Noor Mohammad Vasim Pinjari Navnath Sukrya Gharat and an individual identified as Sarfaraj and a few others reported PTIBetween April and August this year the accused prepared false documents for a company by submitting this false information to the government and obtained a registration certificate under the GST Act an official from the MFC police station said reported PTIThe accused allegedly created eight fake companies and managed to claim Rs 2206 crore in ITC he saidThe accused have been booked under sections 111 organised crime 316 criminal breach of trust 318 cheating and 320 dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property alongside relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax Act 2017 but no arrests have been made so far the official saidWith inputs from PTI