Kochi cyber police recover over Rs 1 crore lost in ‘digital arrest’ scam targeting elderly man

The Kochi city cyber police have recovered more than Rs 1 crore defrauded from an 81-year-old man in a ‘digital arrest’ online scam, officials said, adding that swift intervention helped freeze the funds in a bank account in Jammu and Kashmir. The fraud took place in November last year when scammers posing as law enforcement officials allegedly coerced the victim into transferring about Rs 1.30 crore, PTI reported.

According to police, the accused intimidated the elderly man by falsely accusing him of involvement in illegal activities and demanded money under the pretext of settling the case. The victim subsequently transferred funds before realising he had been duped.

Timely complaint helped police freeze funds

After the complaint was filed at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Kochi, authorities registered a case and uploaded the details on the National Cyber Crime Portal. “Due to timely intervention, around Rs 1.06 crore of the lost amount was recovered from a bank in Jammu and Kashmir,” officials told PTI.


Investigators later froze Rs 1,06,27,914 in a Srinagar bank account where the victim’s funds had been routed.

Operation conducted under senior police supervision

The probe was carried out on the instructions of Kochi City Deputy Commissioner K S Shahansha, with technical and investigative support from Cyber Crime Police Station Inspector Shemir Khan, ASI Girish Kumar and CPO Robin under the supervision of ACP Anilkumar, the statement said.

Following court orders, the frozen amount was returned to the complainant.

Police urge prompt reporting of cyber fraud cases

Police said immediate reporting of cyber fraud incidents significantly increases the chances of recovering lost funds. “If approached soon after the loss and complaints are registered through the National Cyber Crime Portal, recovery prospects improve,” officials told PTI.