‘Digital Arrest’ Scam: Mumbai Woman Duped of ₹3 Crore by Fake Judge Chandrachud

A 68-year-old Mumbai woman lost over ₹3 crore in a sophisticated "digital arrest" scam. Cybercriminals, impersonating police and a former Chief Justice, falsely accused her of illegal financial transactions linked to her Aadhaar card.

A 68-year-old retired woman from Andheri West, Mumbai was cheated out of more than ₹3 crore in a sophisticated online scam that involved cybercriminals impersonating law enforcement officials and even the former Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, police said.

According to the NDTV report, the fraud began with a phone call in August 2025 from someone claiming to be a police officer. The caller told the woman that a fake bank account had been opened using her Aadhaar card and that it was linked to illegal financial transactions worth crores. Scammers then followed up with repeated WhatsApp video calls from different numbers.

To make the setup appear real, the fraudsters sent fabricated documents and a mock police complaint bearing official seals. They even staged a fake virtual legal proceeding in which a man identifying himself as “Judge Chandrachud” appeared to question the victim. The elaborate ruse was designed to frighten her into cooperating and believing she was genuinely in legal trouble.

Under intense pressure and fearing legal consequences, she was told her bail had been denied and that she needed to redeem her mutual funds and transfer her savings to multiple accounts to prove they were legally sourced. The woman, frightened by threats of arrest and surveillance, complied and transferred about ₹3.71 crore via RTGS over several weeks.

The victim realised she had been defrauded only when the scammers demanded additional money and communication ceased. She has since filed a complaint with the Mumbai Cyber Police, submitting chat logs, call details, bank statements and transaction records to assist investigators.

The case highlights the growing threat of “digital arrest” scams - where fraudsters exploit victims’ fear of legal action by posing as judges, police or investigative agencies to extort large sums. Authorities continue to investigate the incident and trace the accounts where the money was transferred.