Digital Arrest Scam: Retired Judge Duped Of Rs 2.50 Crore, Alert SBI Manager Stops PPF Transfer

Digital arrest scams have emerged as a serious financial threat in India with fraudsters posing as government officials to intimidate victims and forcing them into transferring money. A recent case in Jaipur shows how such scams can leave victims facing losses running into crores of rupees.

A 90-year-old retired district judge in Jaipur allegedly lost Rs 2.50 crore after cyber fraudsters convinced him that his bank account was connected to an alleged hawala transaction. The scammers reportedly kept him under digital arrest for around 15 days by using the threat of arrest.

How The Digital Arrest Scam Took Place

According to a PTI report, the fraudsters first contacted the retired judge through a WhatsApp video call on July 28, 2026. They claimed that a large hawala transaction had been detected in Mumbai and that Rs 40 lakh linked to it had reached his SBI account. The victim was allegedly warned that he could be arrested and was told not to discuss the matter with his family.

The scammers later allegedly introduced another person who claimed to be a manager from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). He reportedly told the victim that the money connected to the alleged hawala transaction had been invested in mutual funds and asked him to share details of his investments and other financial documents.

The victim, identified as Ganpat Singh Bhandari, shared the requested financial information. The fraudsters then instructed him to transfer money into different bank accounts, claiming that the payments were required as part of the investigation.

The transfers were made from Bhandari’s SBI account in Gandhi Nagar between August 3 and 10. According to the complaint, the total amount transferred was Rs 2,50,51,000.

How An Alert SBI Manager Stopped PPF Transfer

The fraudsters also allegedly tried to ensure that the victim remained isolated. He was instructed to delete his WhatsApp conversations, call records and other messages to erase trace of the conversation. This allegedly prevented his family from discovering the fraud while the transfers were taking place.

The scam eventually came to light when the fraudsters allegedly asked Bhandari to move money from his Public Provident Fund (PPF) account as well. When he approached SBI’s Johari Bazaar branch to make the transfer, the bank manager became suspicious and questioned him about the transaction.

The bank manager reportedly realised that Bhandari could be a victim of cyber fraud and stopped the PPF transaction. The retired judge then contacted his nephew, Ravindra Singh Mohnot, who subsequently approached the police and filed a complaint.

The case highlights how digital arrest scams rely on fear, impersonation and isolation to push victims into making financial transactions. Digital arrest is not a legal process in India. Police and other government agencies do not arrest people through WhatsApp or video calls, nor do they ask individuals to transfer money as part of an investigation.