2 held for digitally arresting 70yo man, extorting Rs 7 lakh

Bageshwar: Almora police have arrested two individuals for allegedly digitally arresting an elderly man in the Lamgara area. The accused, linked to an interstate fraud gang, posed as CBI officers and swindled over Rs 7.2 lakh.
The suspects were apprehended in Khargone district in Madhya Pradesh and brought to Almora on Thursday for questioning in the case. They are currently in police custody.
SSP Devendra Pincha said the incident came to light when 70-year-old Jeevan Singh Mehta, from Bargla Lamgara, filed a complaint on Feb 21, 2025. From Jan 13 to 17, unidentified persons falsely accused Mehta of money laundering and ‘virtually arrested' him. Using intimidation tactics, the fraudsters extorted Rs 7.2 lakh from him.
Police registered a case at Lamgara police station under relevant BNS sections including 318(4)(cheating) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) and established a specialised cybercrime unit to investigate the fraud and locate the perpetrators. After a thorough investigation, police arrested two suspects on April 21. The duo was identified as Santosh Gurjar, 31, and Kapil Soni, 49, from Khargone.
The SSP said that investigations continue to identify additional members of the cyber fraud network. "We are committed to uncovering the complete network of this cybercrime syndicate and ensuring all culprits face legal consequences," he said.