Delhi Police have arrested two men in connection with an alleged ₹6 lakh digital-arrest scam in which a victim was reportedly threatened during a video call and pressured into transferring money.
The investigation by South Delhi district cyber police has also uncovered financial transactions involving multiple bank accounts and a suspected Cambodia-linked digital trail. Police are continuing to investigate the wider network and the people allegedly operating the communication infrastructure.
The accused have been identified as Ritish Kumar Mehra from Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, and Mukesh Kumhar from Bhilwara, Rajasthan.
Victim Allegedly Threatened by Fake Officials
According to the police investigation, the victim received a video call from individuals who allegedly presented themselves as law-enforcement officials.
The callers reportedly claimed that the victim was connected to a criminal case and threatened possible arrest. The victim was subsequently persuaded to transfer ₹6 lakh to bank accounts provided during the interaction.
After approaching the police, an e-FIR was registered and investigators began examining the financial trail associated with the transaction.
Police Trace Most of the Money to Two Accounts
Investigators reportedly found that ₹5.5 lakh of the transferred amount had reached a Kotak Mahindra Bank account operated by Ritish Kumar Mehra.
Another ₹50,000 was allegedly transferred to a Federal Bank account linked to Mukesh Kumhar.
Police first traced Mehra to Kathua and arrested him. Information obtained during the investigation subsequently helped investigators locate and arrest Kumhar in Bhilwara.
The allegations against both suspects remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.
One Account Had Transactions Worth Around ₹50 Lakh
The investigation expanded after police examined the banking records associated with Kumhar.
According to investigators, one of the accounts linked to him had processed transactions totalling approximately ₹50 lakh. Police also found that the account was associated with at least 10 complaints filed through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal in different states.
However, the presence of ₹50 lakh in transactions does not by itself establish that the entire amount represented proceeds of fraud. Investigators are examining individual transactions to determine which, if any, were connected to reported cybercrime incidents.
The financial trail is likely to remain an important part of the investigation as police attempt to establish how funds moved between different accounts.
Technical Investigation Points to Cambodia
Police have also identified an apparent Cambodia connection during their technical investigation of the communications used in the alleged fraud.
Investigators are trying to determine who was behind the Cambodia-linked infrastructure and what role those individuals may have played in directing the operation.
At this stage, the police findings do not establish that either of the two arrested men was physically operating from Cambodia. The suspected overseas connection appears to concern the communication infrastructure or other individuals allegedly involved in the wider network.
Why Investigators Are Following the Money
Digital-arrest scams often involve several layers, from the people who impersonate officials and communicate with victims to those who provide bank accounts for receiving and transferring money.
Such accounts can become an important investigative lead because funds may pass through multiple accounts before reaching their eventual destination.
In cases involving suspected fraudulent transactions, Financial Investigation can be relevant to examining transaction trails, identifying unusual financial movements and understanding how funds may have been routed.
Phones, Cards and Cheque Books Seized
During the investigation, police recovered three mobile phones, four ATM or debit cards, five cheque books and five rubber stamps.
Investigators are examining the seized material for evidence of communications with other suspected members of the network, additional accounts and possible business entities used during the movement of funds.
Police are also comparing the financial records with the cybercrime complaints connected to the accounts under investigation.
Overseas Network Still Being Traced
The arrests are not necessarily the end of the investigation. Police are continuing efforts to identify individuals allegedly operating through the Cambodia-linked infrastructure and determine how they interacted with people in India.
Investigators are expected to examine the flow of instructions, communications and money to establish whether more people were involved in arranging bank accounts, transferring funds or impersonating officials.
Digital Arrest Scams Continue to Exploit Fear
The case highlights a recurring feature of digital-arrest fraud: victims are allegedly made to believe that they are facing immediate legal consequences and must transfer money to resolve the situation.
A genuine law-enforcement agency does not place a person under "digital arrest" through a WhatsApp or video call or demand money to prevent an arrest.
Anyone receiving such a demand should end the communication and report the incident through India's cybercrime reporting mechanisms, including 1930 and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.