A 74-year-old Bengaluru woman, Lakshmi Ramamurthy, was allegedly defrauded of ₹24 crore by cyber criminals posing as officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a sophisticated 'digital arrest' scam, the Karnataka State Cyber Command revealed on Sunday, 25 May 2026. Six accused have been arrested in connection with the case, police confirmed.

How the Fraud Unfolded

According to an official press note issued by Punab Mohanty, IPS, Director General of Police, Cyber Command, Bengaluru, the victim was systematically intimidated and manipulated over a period of more than two months. The fraudsters, impersonating senior federal agency officials, pressured Ramamurthy into transferring funds repeatedly.

Between 10 February and 24 April 2026, she transferred ₹24 crore from her ICICI Bank account across 26 separate transactions into 23 root accounts linked to 10 different banks spread across the country.

ICICI Bank Alert Prevents Further Loss

The fraud came to light on 24 April 2026, when the victim was reportedly preparing to transfer an additional ₹3 crore by availing a gold loan. Alert officials at ICICI Bank notified the Cyber Command unit, which intervened in time and blocked the transfer — preventing further loss to the victim. Officials noted that the fraudsters had continued attempting to extract money even after the initial massive transfers.

Recovery and Investigation

Following a formal complaint, the Cyber Command traced the movement of funds through first-tier accounts. With support from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP), police froze several root accounts and recovered approximately ₹4 crore. An additional ₹1.46 crore was subsequently recovered through court orders, bringing the total amount recovered to more than ₹5.46 crore. Investigators also seized six mobile phones allegedly used in the commission of the crime.

The Six Accused

The arrested individuals have been identified as N. Shivanam from Erode, Tamil Nadu; Akkach Mallik from Mumbai, Maharashtra; Palak Bhai Patel and Amit Narendra Patel from Ahmedabad, Gujarat; Om Prakash Rajut from New Delhi; and Gaurav Kumar from Bihar. The geographic spread of the accused underscores the organised, multi-state nature of the operation.

The Wider Threat of Digital Arrest Scams

This case is among the largest 'digital arrest' frauds reported in India, a scheme in which victims are falsely told they are under virtual legal detention by impersonated government officials. Senior citizens, who may be less familiar with digital fraud tactics, have emerged as a primary target demographic. This is the latest in a series of high-value cyber fraud cases that the Karnataka Cyber Command has investigated in 2026, reflecting a broader national surge in organised online crime targeting vulnerable individuals.