Bhubaneswar: In a relief for a retired professor, Odisha Crime Branch recovered and returned Rs 1.1 crore of of Rs 2.45 crore that he lost to earlier to a “digital arrest” scam in February.
The victim was conned after fraudsters orchestrated an elaborate four-day “digital arrest”. It began with a phone call claiming that his Aadhaar card was linked to a terrorist’s bank account. The conversation then shifted to a video call, where the scammer impersonated an Intelligence Bureau officer and sent a forged “digital arrest order” via WhatsApp. The fake document instructed him not to leave his home or contact anyone, effectively placing him under virtual confinement while he was pressured into transferring Rs 2,45,24,540 to various accounts.
Upon realising he had been scammed, the professor filed an FIR with the Crime Branch’s cybercrime unit on March 2 and later lodged a complaint on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) on May 15. The cybercrime team quickly analysed the money trail and identified beneficiary accounts. One account containing Rs 1.1 crore was frozen. Through coordination with the concerned bank and necessary court orders, Rs 1.1 crore was successfully credited back to the victim’s account. No arrests have been made in the case so far.
Odisha has seen a surge in such complaints. In 2025, the state recorded 49,426 cyber fraud complaints on the NCRP involving Rs 432.28 crore, of which Rs 68.71 crore was frozen and Rs 5.31 crore refunded. Between January and April 2026, another 16,335 complaints involving Rs 134.24 crore were registered, with Rs 24.27 crore frozen and Rs 2.97 crore returned to victims.
Odisha Police have urged citizens to stay vigilant. Fraudsters frequently impersonate law enforcement or government officials and create urgency by demanding money transfers or compliance under “digital house arrest.” No genuine government agency conducts investigations or verifications solely through video calls or asks citizens to move funds. Citizens have been advised not to panic, avoid sharing personal or financial details and verify callers through official channels. Any such incident should be reported immediately by dialling the 1930 cybercrime helpline or lodging a complaint at www.cybercrime.gov.in.
