Delhi Police Arrest Three in West Bengal "Digital Arrest" Fraud Ring Scandal

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A high-pressure extortion network has been dismantled following the arrest of three individuals in West Bengal by the Delhi Cyber Cell.

Disruption of a High-Pressure Extortion Network

The suspects were implicated in facilitating digital arrest scams by supplying mule accounts and SIMs. The operation targeted an organized inter-state cyber fraud network that specialized in high-pressure extortion tactics.

Operation Details

Coordinated raids in South 24 Parganas and Howrah districts led to the apprehension of three key figures. The investigation revealed a sophisticated scheme combining psychological manipulation with financial laundering to exploit vulnerable victims.

Victim’s Experience

The criminal operation was exposed after a Delhi resident reported a distressing extortion attempt resulting in a loss of ₹7.22 lakh. The victim was contacted via encrypted video calls and falsely identified as a high-ranking IPS officer, CBI agent, or Mumbai ATS operative.

Psychological Tactics

The perpetrators used aggressive psychological tactics to instill fear, claiming the victim’s identity was linked to serious crimes such as money laundering and drug trafficking. Under the guise of a mandatory “digital arrest,” the fraudsters compelled the victim to remain on continuous video calls for hours, prohibiting contact with family or legal counsel.

Financial Manipulation

They pressured her to execute real-time financial transfers, falsely presenting them as part of a government wealth-verification audit. Investigations into the case uncovered a complex financial infrastructure. Funds transferred from the victim’s account were routed through a centralized banking hub in West Bengal before being fragmented across multiple secondary accounts.

Technical Analysis

Technical analysis, including mobile terminal tracking and IP log examinations, identified the regional operations team. During raids, police seized six smartphones, a development laptop, and 18 debit and credit cards, along with 15 fraudulently activated SIMs.

Suspects and Operations

The suspects, Samiran Roy, Prince Shaw, and Samar Chatterjee, managed operations through three synchronized technical layers. Digital logs on the seized devices detailed interactions with overseas syndicate leaders.

Legal Charges

The arrested individuals were charged under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and Information Technology Act. Forensic experts are analyzing seized hardware to trace the full financial trail, quantify the total funds siphoned through mule accounts, and assess connections to cross-border cybercrime networks.

Authorities emphasized that “digital arrests” have no legal basis in Indian law. Legitimate agencies, including state police, CBI, ED, and the Income Tax Department, do not conduct arrests, issue summonses, or perform interrogations via video calls.

Public Advisories

Officials reiterated that public servants are prohibited from demanding immediate asset transfers or banking details for remote verification. Citizens are advised to disconnect intimidating calls, report suspicious numbers to the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930), or use the central reporting portal to block associated bank accounts.