‘Matter of national security’: How Delhi couple was kept under ‘digital arrest’ for over 2 weeks, duped of ₹14 crore

An elderly doctor couple living in south Delhi’s Greater Kailash was allegedly duped of nearly ₹14 crore after cybercriminals kept them under what police described as a “digital arrest” for more than two weeks, officials said on Saturday.

The fraud allegedly took place between December 24 and January 9, during which the accused impersonated officials from law enforcement agencies and pressured the couple into transferring large sums of money to multiple bank accounts, according to the police cited by PTI news agency.

An e-FIR was registered on Saturday, and the cybercrime unit of Delhi Police has launched an investigation, the report added.

Recounting the ordeal, victim Indira Taneja said the first call came on December 24 around noon. “On December 24, around noon, I received a call from someone claiming to be from TRAI, saying my number would be disconnected due to obscene calls and complaints,” she said.

She added that the caller accused her of money laundering and claimed that an FIR and arrest warrants had been issued in Maharashtra. “They connected me to a man in a police uniform on a video call,” she said.

Taneja said banners reading “Collaba police” were visible behind the fraudsters, which further made their story seem believable.

According to her, the man on the video call alleged that a Canara Bank account in her name had been used in a major fraud linked to national security.

Police said the couple, both doctors, had returned from the United States and had been residing in Greater Kailash since 2016. Their children are settled abroad, a factor investigators believe was exploited by the accused.

According to the complaint, the cybercriminals threatened and forced them to stay on continuous phone and video calls for days at a stretch.

Taneja told the callers that travelling was not possible as her husband was recovering from surgery at AIIMS. “I told him I could not come to Bombay because my husband had undergone surgery and was under treatment. He was being treated by AIIMS doctors, was still on antibiotics, and was walking with a walker. There was no one else with us, so how could we manage anything,” she said.

When the couple refused travelling, the accused then suggested an alternative. “They said there was another way. They said they would keep verifying me and would release me quickly. They said that just like bail, even during bail verification continues, and that they would fully release me after verification. But until then, verification was necessary,” she said.

The couple alleged they were instructed not to contact anyone during this period.

Police said the fraud came to light only after the calls abruptly stopped on January 9, following which the couple approached the authorities.

Despite repeatedly informing the callers about their medical condition and lack of support, the pressure continued, Taneja said, eventually resulting in a loss of ₹14.85 crore.

Delhi Police said the investigation is ongoing and efforts are being made to trace the bank accounts and individuals involved in the alleged scam.