A 76-year-old retired government doctor in Hyderabad died of a heart attack after being subjected to a 70-hour “digital arrest” scam by cyber fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials. The scammers used forged documents with logos of the Supreme Court, Enforcement Directorate, and Reserve Bank of India to falsely accuse her of human trafficking and extort ₹6.6 lakh from her pension account ¹.
The Scam and Its Aftermath
The fraud began on September 5, when the victim received a WhatsApp video call from individuals using the Bengaluru police logo. The callers presented fabricated documents and threatened to arrest her under the National Security Act unless she transferred money. Terrified, she wired ₹6.6 lakh from her Union Bank pension account to an ICICI Bank account linked to a shell entity in Maharashtra. Despite the payment, the harassment continued through video calls and fake court notices, leaving the elderly woman in distress ².
Investigation and Charges
The Hyderabad cybercrime police have registered a case under the IT Act and sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Investigators are tracking phone records and bank transactions to apprehend the suspects. Shockingly, the scammers continued sending messages even after her death, including a “good morning” message on September 10 ¹.
