Businessman loses ₹15.4 crore in digital arrest scam

Ajit Gopalkrishna Saraf, 81, Belagavi based businessman, lost nearly ₹15.45 crore to a digital arrest scam that had gone on for nearly six weeks.

According to a complaint filed by the victim’s son, Mr. Saraf received a call on February 5. The caller claimed to be a CBI officer and accused Mr. Saraf of being involved in a financial scandal. He also produced copies of a complaint registered with the CBI and RBI vigilance cell, which were obviously fake.

The caller who identified himself as K. Siva Subramanyam, alleged that Mr. Saraf was found to have dealing with Naresh Goel of Jet Airways and was involved in money laundering.

Then, on subsequent days, another person, calling himself George Mathew of RBI vigilance, joined the call. They asked Mr. Saraf to produce details of his Fixed Deposit amounts and Stock market investments. They forced the victim to empty his FDs and the investments in Motilal Oswal.

Mr. Saraf, who was afraid of the callers, did not reveal this to anyone in his family. He transferred all the money that he had control on. Police officers said that the victim had not come out of his room for days on end. It was only after his son came to visit him for the Ugadi holidays that the offence was known to the family.

A case has been registered in the Belagavi Cyber, Economic, and Narcotics cell. Police officers said that the case would soon be transferred to the CID.