Three arrested in Bhopal for duping Delhi woman of ₹71 lakh in ‘digital arrest’ scam

Handcuffs on dark background | Photo Credit: D-Keine Three persons from Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal have been arrested for duping a woman of ₹71 lakh by impersonating an IPS officer and threatening her with arrest in a digital arrest scam, officials from Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police said on Sunday (November 15, 2026).Also read | Police unearth cyber fraud racket; bankstaffers among 6 heldThe accused, identified as Priyanka Prajapati (31), Aman Soni (28) and Pinky Soni (30), were arrested from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh by the IFSO officials. The investigation also unearthed a network of mule bank accounts used to receive and divert money obtained through cyber fraud.According to the police, the victim received a WhatsApp video call from a person posing as an IPS officer posted in Mumbai. The caller told her that a credit card had been issued in her name and was being used for money laundering involving transactions worth approximately ₹6.5 crore.The fraudster threatened to arrest her and send her to judicial custody, and coerced her into transferring money under the pretext of verification to avoid legal action. Under fear and intimidation, the woman transferred ₹71 lakh in two transactions, the police said.An e-FIR was registered at the Special Cell police station on October 8, following which the IFSO unit took up the investigation.During the probe, the police traced the financial trail and identified multiple bank accounts allegedly used to receive and divert the cheated money. The three accused were part of this network and facilitated the movement and withdrawal of the funds in coordination with other handlers.The police said approximately ₹15 lakh was withdrawn and distributed among the accused and their associates. A portion of the cheated money was also allegedly used to purchase expensive mobile phones.Three newly purchased mobile phones, suspected to have been bought using the defrauded money, have been recovered from the accused.Further investigation is underway to identify the larger network involved in the fraud and tracing the proceeds of the crime. Published - November 15, 2026 01:12 pm IST