Tumakuru, October 22, 2025 – In a chilling escalation of cyber fraud tactics sweeping the nation, a seasoned state government employee from Tumakuru district was held virtually hostage for six grueling hours by con artists masquerading as Mumbai police, only to wake up ₹19 lakh poorer. The victim, B.S. Nagabhushan, a 55-year-old administrative officer with the Karnataka Revenue Department, fell prey to the insidious "digital arrest" scam – a ploy where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement to extort funds under the guise of bogus investigations – highlighting the growing vulnerability of even informed professionals to high-tech deception.
The ordeal began innocuously at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, when Nagabhushan's phone rang with an unknown number flashing on the screen. The caller, speaking in authoritative Hindi laced with urgency, identified himself as Inspector Rajesh Kumar from the Mumbai Crime Branch. "Your bank account has been used for money laundering, and there's a duplicate SIM in your name harassing innocent people," the fraudster alleged, weaving a web of fabricated evidence that included doctored screenshots of "police reports" and "transaction alerts" sent via WhatsApp. Panicked, Nagabhushan – a resident of the quiet Upparahalli neighborhood, known for its middle-class families and proximity to the district headquarters – agreed to a video call to "clear his name."
What followed was a masterclass in psychological manipulation. Over the next six hours, the scammers – now a tag-team of three voices, including a "senior officer" in a crisp police uniform visible on screen – bombarded Nagabhushan with threats of immediate arrest, property seizure, and even implication in a larger terror-financing racket. "Don't step out, don't tell your family, or we'll raid your home by evening," one demanded, their faces blurred just enough to evade recognition software while projecting officialdom through fake badges and Mumbai police station backdrops. Isolated in his study, Nagabhushan watched helplessly as the callers escalated: They demanded details of his bank accounts, fixed deposits, and even his wife's savings, claiming it was part of a "preliminary probe" to freeze assets.
Under duress, Nagabhushan disclosed his financials, including ₹25 lakh in joint fixed deposits. The fraudsters then scripted the extortion: "Transfer ₹19 lakh to this 'safe custody' account immediately – it's standard procedure. You'll get it back with interest once we verify." Trembling, he initiated three RTGS transactions totaling the sum to accounts traced later to mule identities in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. "They assured me it was temporary, like a court attachment," Nagabhushan recounted to this correspondent later, his voice still shaky. "I even saw them 'log' the transfer on a fake portal. By the time I realized, they had vanished."
The scam's denouement came abruptly at 2:30 p.m., with the "officers" promising a callback in 30 minutes for "refund processing." Hours turned to silence, and by evening, Nagabhushan – piecing together the horror – rushed to the Tumakuru Cyber Crime Police Station. Officers registered a case under Sections 419 (cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC, along with relevant IT Act provisions, and launched a probe using the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Early leads point to a transnational syndicate operating from call centers in Southeast Asia, with voice modulation tech and deepfake elements, though no arrests have been made yet.
This isn't an isolated tale of woe. Digital arrest scams have surged 300% in Karnataka this year, per state police data, claiming over ₹500 crore from victims ranging from retirees to techies. Just last week in Bengaluru, a 39-year-old software engineer at a Whitefield IT firm lost a staggering ₹11 crore in a near-identical ruse, where scammers from the same "Mumbai Crime Branch" playbook held him on video for eight hours before draining his accounts. Nationally, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) reports over 1,200 such cases monthly, often targeting educated professionals who fear reputational ruin. Tragically, at least five suicides have been linked to these frauds in the past six months, including a Bescom contractor in Bengaluru who took his life after losing ₹13 lakh in July.
Cyber experts attribute the rise to post-pandemic digital fatigue and sophisticated AI tools enabling seamless impersonations. "These aren't petty thieves; they're organized crime rings exploiting trust in institutions," warns Ravi Shankar, head of the Karnataka Cyber Police. "No real agency ever demands money over phone or video – that's your red flag." Nagabhushan, now navigating bank freezes and therapy sessions, echoes the plea: "I thought I was smart, but fear makes fools of us all. Verify first, always."
As Tumakuru's police ramp up awareness drives – including mock scam simulations in government offices – the incident serves as a stark reminder amid festive season vulnerabilities. For Nagabhushan, the financial hit stings, but the emotional scar runs deeper. "My life's savings for my daughter's wedding... gone in clicks," he sighed. Authorities urge victims to dial 1930 immediately and banks to flag suspicious transfers. In the cyber wilds of 2025, the only arrest that matters is the one on blind panic.
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