Woman loses 3.71 crores to digital arrest; Fraudsters use 'DY Chandrachud's Court' to dupe her

A 68-year-old woman from Andheri West, Mumbai, fell victim to an elaborate "digital arrest" scam, losing a staggering ₹3.71 crore over a span of two months. The fraudsters impersonated high-ranking officials from the Colaba Police Station and central investigating agencies. To build credibility, the culprits staged a fake online court hearing via video call, where one of the scammers posed as the former Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud. They manipulated the victim into believing her bank account was linked to a major money-laundering syndicate.

The ordeal began in August 2025 when the victim received a call alleging her involvement in criminal activities. Under extreme psychological pressure, she was even forced to write a detailed "essay" on her life to prove her innocence. The scammers promised her bail and legal immunity in exchange for "securing" her funds in government-monitored accounts. Terrified of legal consequences and arrest, the victim transferred approximately ₹3.75 crore to multiple bank accounts across various transactions before realizing she had been duped.

Following a complaint at the West Region Cyber Police Station, investigators traced the money trail to a mule account in Surat, Gujarat. This led to the arrest of one individual who had opened a bank account under the guise of a fake textile company to facilitate the transfer of ₹1.71 crore. The arrested accused reportedly received a commission of over ₹6 lakh for his role. During interrogation, he revealed that the operation's masterminds are likely based abroad, with one running an immigration business.