Odisha Crime Branch arrests two in ₹1.38-crore digital arrest fraud
Synopsis
Odisha's Crime Branch has cracked a ₹1.38-crore 'digital arrest' scam — where fraudsters posed as Mumbai Cyber Crime officials to terrorise a Bhubaneswar resident into transferring funds. Two arrests across Delhi and Uttarakhand, a seized car, forged identities, and five banks used as conduits reveal the scale of an organised interstate syndicate that is still being unravelled.
Key Takeaways
Odisha Crime Branch arrested two accused on 9 June in a ₹1.38-crore 'digital arrest' cyber fraud case.
Subham Sharma alias Sanjay Rana , 29 , was arrested from Uttam Nagar, New Delhi ; he allegedly used forged documents to open accounts across five banks .
Amit Kumar , 31 , was arrested from Dehradun, Uttarakhand ; nearly ₹13 lakh was allegedly deposited directly into his account.
A car purchased with illicit funds, forged Aadhaar and PAN cards, mobile phones, and SIM cards were seized.
A mother-son duo from Ghaziabad had previously been arrested in the same case; the investigation into the broader syndicate is ongoing.
The Crime Branch of Odisha Police has arrested two accused — one from Delhi and another from Uttarakhand — for their alleged role in a ₹1.38-crore 'digital arrest' cyber fraud that targeted a Bhubaneswar-based victim, a senior Crime Branch official confirmed on Tuesday, 9 June. The accused allegedly impersonated Mumbai Cyber Crime officials to coerce the victim into transferring funds across multiple bank accounts.
How the Fraud Unfolded
The case was registered after the Bhubaneswar resident filed a complaint stating that fraudsters had told him his Aadhaar number was linked to a money laundering case, threatening him with arrest and imprisonment. Fearing legal consequences, the victim transferred ₹1.38 crore in multiple tranches to bank accounts provided by the accused.
A detailed analysis of bank transactions, account-opening documents, mobile records, and money trails established the involvement of a Delhi-based cyber fraud network, according to investigators.
First Arrest: Delhi-Based Accused
Investigators traced ₹13.50 lakh of the defrauded amount to an HDFC Bank account operated under the name 'Rana Garments.' A special team travelled to New Delhi and arrested Subham Sharma alias Sanjay Rana, 29, a resident of Bhagwati Vihar, Uttam Nagar.
During interrogation, Sharma allegedly confessed to creating a fake identity using forged documents. Police said he and his associates opened multiple bank accounts across HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, IndusInd Bank, AU Small Finance Bank, and Yes Bank using fabricated credentials. He had also reportedly availed loans under the false identity. A car purchased with illicit funds was seized, along with forged Aadhaar and PAN cards, bank documents, mobile phones, SIM cards, and vehicle records.
Second Arrest: Uttarakhand-Based Accused
In a parallel operation, a second team arrested Amit Kumar, 31, a resident of Bijnor district, Uttar Pradesh, who was staying at a hostel in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Investigators identified him as a first-layer account holder, with nearly ₹13 lakh from the cheated amount allegedly deposited directly into his account. A mobile phone, two SIM cards, and identity documents were seized from his possession.
Organised Syndicate Behind the Scam
Officials said the accused were part of an organised cyber fraud syndicate that created fake identities, opened mule bank accounts, layered funds through multiple transactions, and withdrew money through various channels to obscure the trail of crime proceeds.
Notably, a mother-son duo from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh had also been arrested earlier in connection with the same case. Police are continuing to identify other syndicate members, trace additional proceeds of crime, and map the interstate linkages of the network.
Point of View
Multi-state operations with layered banking infrastructure. The use of five separate banks, forged KYC documents, and mule accounts points to a professionalised syndicate — not opportunistic criminals. What is striking is that the victim transferred ₹1.38 crore before any official channel could intervene, exposing a dangerous gap in real-time fraud detection at the banking level. With a Ghaziabad duo already arrested and investigations pointing to more members, the Odisha Crime Branch appears to be pulling on a thread that runs well beyond this single case.
NationPress
25 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 'digital arrest' scam?
A 'digital arrest' scam is a form of cyber fraud where criminals impersonate law enforcement or government officials — such as CBI, Narcotics Bureau, or Cyber Crime officers — and falsely tell victims they are implicated in a serious crime. The victim is then coerced into transferring money to avoid a fabricated arrest, often kept under psychological pressure via video calls.
How much money did the Bhubaneswar victim lose?
The victim transferred ₹1.38 crore to multiple bank accounts controlled by the fraud syndicate after being told his Aadhaar number was linked to a money laundering case.
Who has been arrested so far in this case?
Four people have been arrested so far: Subham Sharma alias Sanjay Rana (29) from Uttam Nagar, Delhi; Amit Kumar (31) from Bijnor, UP (held in Dehradun); and a mother-son duo from Ghaziabad, UP, arrested in an earlier phase of the investigation.
How did the accused conceal the stolen funds?
According to investigators, the accused opened mule bank accounts using forged Aadhaar and PAN cards across at least five banks, layered the funds through multiple transactions, and withdrew money via various channels. One accused also allegedly purchased a car using the illicit proceeds.
Is the investigation still ongoing?
Yes. Odisha Crime Branch officials confirmed that the probe is continuing to identify remaining syndicate members, trace additional proceeds of crime, and establish the full interstate network behind the fraud.
