Ahmedabad: An 88-year-old doctor from Paldi was duped of ₹8.05 crore in a shocking “digital arrest” scam where cybercriminals not only trapped him online but also conducted a physical recce of his residence.

For 16 days, between July 28 and August 12, the victim was held in digital captivity and terrorised through video and audio calls by men impersonating senior police officers, Finance Ministry officials, and even the Chief Justice of India using forged letters.

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch unearthed the racket and arrested three operatives: Pappusingh Parihar (41), a singer from Aslali; Asifsha alias Bhado Akbarsha Pathan (35) from Amreli; and Vikaskumar Singh (34) from Vasai, Maharashtra. Singh had provided his bank account with a ₹1-crore transaction limit for a 2% cut. The account was linked to handler “Alex Monty,” believed to be operating from Jharkhand, who used an APK link to hijack OTPs and siphon ₹80 lakh, later routed into multiple mule accounts.

ACP Bharat Patel confirmed that Inspector I N Ghasura’s team is tracing the money trail, with a unit already sent to Jharkhand to track Monty and his network. Police are also identifying the local “recce team” that shadowed the doctor, with more arrests expected soon.

Investigators warn that the case signals a dangerous new hybrid model of cybercrime, combining physical stalking with digital extortion. The doctor was forced to liquidate assets and shares while under duress, with the fraudsters resorting to forged letters and alarming impersonation tactics. DeshGujarat