Kasaragod doctor loses Rs 1.19 crore in digital arrest scam

An 80-year-old doctor from Kasaragod lost Rs 1.19 crore to fraudsters who utilized a “digital arrest” scam. Between November 24 and December 17, 2025, the victim received phone and WhatsApp video calls from individuals posing as Mumbai Crime Branch officials. The callers claimed the doctor was under investigation for a money-laundering case and pressured him into transferring funds to various bank accounts to clear his name.

Following a formal complaint, the Kasaragod Cyber Police initiated a technical investigation. After discovering a suspect had traveled abroad for work, authorities issued a lookout circular. The suspect was subsequently detained by immigration officials at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad on September 17 upon his return to the country.

The suspect has been arrested and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by the Kasaragod Chief Judicial Magistrate Court. Investigators are currently tracing the digital trail and the bank accounts used to route the stolen funds to identify additional accomplices.