Noida: A 26-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday for letting cybercriminals use his bank account to park over Rs 2 lakh in a Rs 2 crore ‘digital arrest’ fraud case. Police said his bank account was used by a syndicate to transfer and route money. Two other men linked to the case have been arrested.According to the officers from the cybercrime police station in Noida, the fraud took place on April 10 when fraudsters contacted a city resident posing as officers from the National Investigation Agency, Pune. They allegedly told the man that bank accounts linked to his Aadhaar card were being used to fund terror activities. They threatened him with immediate arrest and legal action.Police said the scammers intensified the pressure by sending him fake RBI letters and forged arrest warrants through WhatsApp. Under fear and mental stress, he transferred Rs 2.10 crore into multiple bank accounts operated by the gang.Following the victim’s complaint, a case was registered at the Cyber Crime police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the IT Act. During the investigation, police analysed electronic evidence and banking transactions, which led them to Aman Kumar.Investigators found that Rs 2.2 lakh connected to the fraud was transferred into Kumar’s bank account. Officials said mule accounts are often used by cybercriminals to move illegally obtained money and make tracing difficult.Officials said the investigation also revealed that complaints linked to the accused’s bank accounts were registered in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra.Police teams are now trying to identify and arrest other members of the interstate cyber fraud network.The police once again warned citizens against so-called “digital arrest” scams, clarifying that agencies such as the police, CBI, ED or NIA never conduct arrests over phone or video calls. People were advised not to share OTPs, bank details or ATM credentials with strangers and not to allow others to use their bank accounts in exchange for commission or financial benefits.
