Indian Woman Held Captive in Luxury Hotel for 14 Days, ₹90 Lakh Extorted Through Video Blackmail

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Cybercrime Ring Uses Luxury Hotels as Bases for “Digital Arrest” Scams

A sophisticated cybercrime operation has been dismantled after Indian authorities arrested three individuals for allegedly extorting ₹90 lakh from a woman by holding her under virtual surveillance for 14 days.

The Scam Operation

The suspects, Manish Kumar, Irshad, and Mayank Srivastava, used luxury hotels in Delhi and Noida as makeshift control centers to conduct their “digital arrest” scam.

The operation involved the use of laptops, multiple phones, high-speed internet, and staged official backdrops to create the illusion of a legitimate law enforcement investigation.

The suspects posed as anti-terror agency officers, accusing the victim of money laundering and terror financing, and threatening her with immediate arrest.

The Victim’s Ordeal

The victim, Vina, received a video call on January 26 from the suspects, who then connected her to another individual in uniform who continued the intimidation.

For the next 14 days, Vina was placed under “digital arrest,” instructed not to switch off her phone, not to speak to anyone, and to remain on continuous video while the suspects monitored her movements.

Under sustained psychological pressure, Vina transferred ₹90 lakh in multiple transactions to bank accounts provided by the gang.

The International Network

Investigations revealed that the suspects were part of an international network, with handlers based in Indonesia, Myanmar, and Thailand providing call scripts, target databases, and technical support.

The Indian module executed video calls, intimidation, and fund collection, while the foreign module supplied scripts and infrastructure.

Financial Analysis

Financial analysis revealed that ₹1.06 crore had been routed through Mayank Srivastava’s account in recent months from victims across Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and other states, indicating a wider inter-state fraud network.

The money was quickly layered across multiple accounts, converted into cryptocurrency, and transferred to overseas handlers to obscure the trail.

Arrests and Investigation

The arrests were made after Vina reported the incident to the authorities.

Raids led to the seizure of laptops, mobile phones, SIM cards, forged identity documents, bank transaction records, and digital data.

Hotel booking details are being examined to identify other locations used by the gang and possible facilitators who enabled repeated stays without scrutiny.

Cybercrime experts warn that “digital arrest” fraud is rapidly increasing, with scammers exploiting fear of law-enforcement action.

Victims are isolated, kept under continuous video monitoring, and coerced into transferring money under the guise of “verification” or “security holding.”

Authorities have urged the public to note that no investigative agency conducts interrogations over video calls, nor demands money to avoid arrest.

Any such communication should be immediately reported to the cybercrime helpline.

The authorities are still searching for the absconding handler, Jeetu, and are working to uncover the full scale of the international network behind the racket.