A senior doctor from Gandhinagar, Gujarat, has fallen victim to a sophisticated "digital arrest" scam, losing a staggering ₹19 crore (approximately $2.3 million USD) over three months. The cybercrime, which law enforcement believes to be one of the largest of its kind in India, began on March 15 when the doctor received a phone call claiming objectionable content was found on her phone. The caller threatened to disconnect her phone and implicate her in a money laundering case.

This initial contact was followed by a series of manipulative calls from individuals impersonating government officials, including a sub-inspector and a public prosecutor. These fake authorities instilled fear in the doctor, coercing her into a state of "digital arrest". She was threatened with arrest under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), with fraudsters providing forged documents and fake FIR claims alleging offensive messages from her phone.

Under constant threat and surveillance, the doctor was manipulated into transferring her life's savings to 35 different bank accounts over three months. The fraudsters further exploited the situation by securing a loan against the doctor's gold jewelry and transferring those funds as well. She was instructed to remain in contact via daily video calls and share her live location at all times, creating a state of digital house arrest. Even during her nephew's wedding in Surat, she had to secretly prove her presence via calls. The psychological manipulation was intense and relentless.

The scheme unraveled when the calls abruptly ceased. Realizing she had been defrauded, the doctor informed her relatives, who then reported the incident to the authorities on July 16. The cyber cell of CID Crime in Gujarat launched an investigation and arrested Lalji Jayantibhai Baldaniya from Surat, in whose bank account ₹1 crore of the defrauded funds was found. He is currently being questioned to uncover the network and identify other individuals involved in the scam.

Authorities believe that Cambodian cybercrime syndicates are the masterminds behind this operation, collaborating with Indian accomplices. Cambodia is reportedly a hub for over 5,000 call centers aimed at defrauding Indians. A four-team task force has been deployed to track bank accounts and mobile numbers, conduct on-ground investigations, and monitor social media channels. The police are determined to dismantle the entire operation.