Chandigarh police’s Cyber Crime Cell has made a breakthrough in a high-profile ‘digital arrest’ scam by apprehending two individuals linked to the case. The duo, identified as Mahak Yadav and Sachin Sharma, were arrested in connection with the fraud scheme that swindled a retired Army Colonel and his wife of a staggering sum of Rs 3.41 crore. The victims, Colonel Dalip Singh (Retd) and his wife Ranvinder Kaur, fell prey to cyber fraudsters posing as officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The investigation, led by SP (Cyber Crime) Geetanjali Khandelwal, DSP A Venkatesh, and SHO Inspector Rohitash Kumar Yadav, unfolded after the FIR was lodged on April 5, 2025. Following the filing of the report, a raid was conducted in Narnaul, leading to the arrest of Mahak Yadav. During interrogation, Yadav revealed that a substantial amount of Rs 1.05 crore was transferred to his account, from which he derived a commission of Rs 1.20 lakh. Based on his statement, Sachin Sharma was apprehended in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on April 7.
Authorities recovered two mobile phones from the suspects, and an ongoing data analysis is underway to glean further insights into their activities. The police are actively working to trace additional beneficiaries involved in the scam and retrieve the defrauded funds. Both individuals remain in police custody, undergoing intensive interrogation to determine any potential ties to other cybercrimes.
The modus operandi of the fraudsters involved targeting the elderly couple, Colonel Singh and his wife, with a series of deceptive tactics. The scammers initiated contact with a call from an international number, falsely implicating Singh in a money laundering case linked to a prominent businessman. Through a web of fake documents and threats of arrest, the fraudsters coerced Singh into a “digital arrest” scenario, maintaining constant pressure and intimidation via video calls.
Over several days, the unsuspecting victims were manipulated into transferring significant sums of money, including Rs 8 lakh, Rs 60 lakh, Rs 80 lakh, Rs 88 lakh, and the staggering Rs 1.05 crore, totaling Rs 3.41 crore. The fraudsters employed various phone numbers to keep the couple on edge and used fabricated legal threats to manipulate them further.
The intricacies of the ongoing investigation showcase the dedication of law enforcement in unraveling complex cyber fraud schemes and bringing the perpetrators to justice. The arrest of Yadav and Sharma marks a crucial step towards holding individuals accountable for preying on vulnerable members of society through sophisticated digital scams. The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and awareness in safeguarding against online fraud and deception.