Goa Police have busted an inter-state cybercrime racket involving a Rs.1.42 crore “digital arrest” fraud, arresting Ashadul Islam (24) and Yasmina Ahmed (32) from Assam. The accused allegedly posed as officials from the CBI and even the Supreme Court to intimidate a Bicholim resident into transferring his life savings.
According to investigators, the fraudsters created a false narrative of an ongoing criminal investigation and claimed the victim was under “digital arrest.” Using WhatsApp video and voice calls, they maintained continuous psychological pressure, warning the victim not to contact family members or local authorities. The fear-based manipulation ultimately coerced multiple fund transfers under the pretext of securing legal clearance.
A forensic investigation traced the digital footprint to Assam, where the duo was reportedly linked to earlier cyber-fraud cases. During the operation, police recovered hundreds of SIM cards and cloned mobile devices believed to have been used to execute similar scams.
Authorities described the case as part of a growing pattern of organized cyber extortion using fabricated legal threats. Goa Police emphasized that “digital arrest” has no legal standing in India and warned citizens that no legitimate agency conducts interrogations or demands payments via video calls or messaging apps.
Officials have urged the public to treat such communications as high-risk fraud and report them immediately through the national cybercrime portal.
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