Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Cyber Crime Police Station, Goa, has successfully cracked a high-profile cyber fraud case involving a digital arrest scam in which a victim was duped of ₹18 lakhs.
The accused, Surinder Kumar, a 19-year-old resident of Ludhiana, Punjab, was arrested after a focused investigation involving technical surveillance and financial tracking.
The case was registered under Crime No. 15/2025 for offences punishable under Sections 318(4), 319(2) read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 66-D of the Information Technology Act.
According to police, the incident occurred on June 3, 2025, when the accused contacted the victim via WhatsApp using mobile numbers +91-7369xxx418 and +91-8017xxx871, posing as an official from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Claiming that the victim’s bank account was involved in a money laundering investigation, the accused threatened legal action and coerced the victim into transferring ₹18 lakhs to avoid arrest and further consequences.
Following the complaint, the Cyber Crime team, comprising PSI Anil Polekar, Head Constable Anay Naik, and Sidramayya Matt, under the supervision of PI Deepak Pednekar, ASP Akshat Ayush, IPS, and SP Rahul Gupta, IPS, tracked the accused to Ludhiana, Punjab.
The team travelled there, apprehended Surinder Kumar, and brought him to Goa for further legal proceedings.
The accused has been remanded to four days of police custody by the Court. Further investigation is underway, led by PI Deepak Pednekar, to determine if the accused is linked to other similar frauds across the country.
The Goa Police have reiterated their commitment to combating cybercrime and have urged the public to be vigilant against such scams.
Citizens are advised not to respond to unknown calls or messages demanding money and to report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station or the national cybercrime helpline at 1930.
