Digital Arrest Scam
In a shocking digital arrest scam case from Lucknow, retired Principal Private Secretary of Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI), Dinesh Prakash Pradhan, was trapped in a so-called “digital arrest” for five days, during which he was forced to transfer Rs 50 lakh to accounts spread across multiple states.
The ordeal started on August 18, when Pradhan received a call from a woman who identified herself as Inspector Anita Verma. She alleged that a criminal case had been filed against him in Jammu & Kashmir, claiming that his Aadhaar card was being misused to route funds to terrorist organisations. To add legitimacy, the fraudsters even sent him a fake case number and a forged arrest warrant on WhatsApp, warning that police were on their way to arrest him.
The pressure mounted on August 19, when another caller introduced himself as police officer Deepak Sharma. He escalated the threat, accusing Pradhan of being part of a terror funding operation worth Rs 70 crore. According to the scammer, Rs 70 lakh had already been credited to Pradhan’s account as “commission.” He warned that unless this money was “returned” immediately, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) would arrest him, and his children would be harmed.
Under immense psychological pressure, Pradhan complied with the instructions. Over the next few days, he transferred massive amounts to various accounts. On August 19, Rs 20 lakh was moved to Taramani Enterprises in Odisha. On August 20, another Rs 14 lakh went to Buddha Yoga Health Foundation in Andhra Pradesh. By August 22, an additional ₹16 lakh was sent to an ICICI Bank account in Maharashtra.
Even after these payments, the harassment didn’t stop. Fraudsters continued calling and issuing threats until August 29, pushing Pradhan into further distress.
The case has now been registered at the PGI police station, with the cybercrime cell roped in for investigation. Authorities have urged citizens to be aware of “digital arrest scams”, warning that no legitimate law enforcement agency ever demands money transfers over phone calls. Experts suggest that users must verify such claims directly with local police and never share banking details or transfer money under duress.