In a landmark ruling, the Additional Sessions Court in Kalyani, Nadia district, West Bengal, has awarded life imprisonment to nine members of a nationwide cyber fraud network involved in a so called digital arrest scam. The case moved with unusual speed: the custody trial began on 24 February 2025 and the full trial concluded in under eight months from the October 2024 incident.
How the Scam Worked
The fraud began when retired scientist Partha Kumar Mukerjee received a WhatsApp video call from an imposter claiming to be a Mumbai Police officer. He was falsely accused of financial crimes and told he was under a digital arrest. Under psychological pressure and continuous remote monitoring, he was coerced into transferring about one crore rupees across multiple accounts. Investigators later learned the calls originated from Cambodia using an Indian SIM, a pattern seen in several cross border cyber rings.
Network Spanned Multiple States
The investigation by the Cyber Crime Police Station, Ranaghat, led to arrests across Maharashtra, Haryana, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. Of 13 detained, nine were charge sheeted and convicted under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act for criminal breach of trust, cheating, forgery, impersonation, conspiracy, and identity theft.
Convicted individuals: Md Imtiyaz Ansari, Shahid Ali Shaikh, Shahrukh Rafik Shaikh, Jatin Anup Ladwal, Rohit Singh, Rupesh Yadav, Sahil Singh, Pathan Sumaiya Banu, and Faldu Ashoke. (Court records list the name Pathan Sumaiya Banu twice; officials treated it as one individual.)
Why This Verdict Matters
Special Public Prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee called it India’s first conviction and sentencing in a digital arrest case, and a milestone for cybercrime deterrence. Swift disposal sends a message: coercive scams carried out through messaging apps, deep fake IDs, and spoofed caller identities will attract the harshest penalties when traced.
Red Flags: Protect Yourself From Digital Arrest Scams
- Real law enforcement does not detain anyone over a call.
- Demand written notice through official channels.
- Do not transfer funds under threat.
- Verify caller identity via official helplines.
- Report suspicious calls immediately to the national cybercrime portal (1930 helpline) or local police.
The Road Ahead
Authorities say coordinated policing, faster digital forensics, and financial trail analytics will be key to preventing similar scams. Public awareness remains the strongest first line of defence. Stay alert, verify, and report early.
