A Mumbai woman lost Rs. 3.75 crore after a man posing as Chief Justice Chandrachud tricked her in a fake virtual hearing scam.
A Mumbai woman lost nearly Rs. 3.75 crore after a man impersonating Chief Justice DY Chandrachud conducted a fake virtual hearing. The fraudster allegedly threatened to implicate her in a money laundering case and offered to arrange her bail. Despite her protests of innocence, she was instructed to submit details of her assets and investments.
Police investigations revealed that between August and October, the woman transferred Rs. 3.75 crore to multiple accounts. The scammer promised the money would be returned after an audit. When the funds were not reimbursed, she reported the case. Joint CP Lakhmi Gautam and DCP Cyber Police Purushottam Karad led the probe, which resulted in the arrest of 46-year-old Jitendra Biyani from Surat.
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Another Victim of Digital Arrest Scam
Authorities said Biyani had used the money in other scams involving “digital arrests.” In one case, an 86-year-old woman was detained virtually for seven days and forced to pay ₹1.1 crore. The fraudsters posed as police and Enforcement Directorate officials, sending fake arrest warrants and documents to intimidate her.
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Police Issue Warning
Mumbai Police cautioned citizens against digital arrest scams, noting that Indian law does not recognise such procedures. Officials urged the public not to trust unknown calls, video calls, or messages, and never to share banking or personal information without verification. The central government has launched tools such as the I4C database and Suspect Search to help identify suspicious phone numbers, email IDs, and UPI handles. Victims are advised to immediately report incidents through the National Cyber Crime Portal or by calling the 1930 helpline.
The article originally appeared on Hindustan Times
