AHMEDABAD: Cyberfraudsters put a 67-year-old retired man under “digital arrest” for six days by posing as officials of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Maharashtra cybercrime branch and even senior police officers, before cheating him of Rs 35.25 lakh.The complaint was filed with the cyberpolice of the Gandhinagar range on Wednesday by a resident of Sargasan, Gandhinagar, who returned to India after working in Kuwait.

According to the FIR, the fraud began on Oct 11, 2025, when he received a phone call from a man claiming to be a TRAI employee. The caller alleged that the complainant was involved in multiple offences, including misuse of Aadhaar, illegal Jio WiFi usage, harassment, violence-related messaging, child pornography and illegal gambling. When the complainant denied the allegations, the call was transferred to a person identifying himself as a sub-inspector with the Maharashtra cybercrime branch.Police said the fake SI contacted the victim through WhatsApp video calls, appearing in police uniform, and demanded copies of his Aadhaar card. He later sent images of a purported Supreme Court order and an international debit card allegedly issued in the complainant’s name. The accused continued video calls to maintain pressure and control.The fraudsters then escalated the threat by introducing another person claiming to be a DCP of Mumbai cybercrime. The complainant was told he would be taken into custody for 90 days for verification and that all his financial assets would be examined and temporarily deposited with the RBI.From Oct 11 to 16, the accused kept the complainant under constant video surveillance, instructing him not to leave his house and to remain available on calls at all times. According to police, during this fake arrest period, the victim was made to withdraw money from fixed deposits, SIPs and senior citizen savings schemes. On Oct 14 and 15, the victim was directed to transfer funds from his Bank of Baroda and HDFC Bank accounts to accounts provided by the accused. The money was routed to IndusInd Bank and Axis Bank accounts. The fraudsters sent partial receipts to maintain credibility.Suspecting fraud when further demands were made, Thakur reported the matter to the cybercrime helpline. A total of Rs 35.25 lakh was siphoned off.Cyberpolice registered a case of cheating, impersonation, extortion and criminal conspiracy.