The Central Crime Branch (CCB) in Chennai has apprehended two individuals, including a bank assistant manager, in connection with a sophisticated ‘digital arrest’ scam that defrauded an elderly resident of ₹44 lakh. This significant arrest is part of an ongoing investigation to dismantle the wider network of fraudsters.
The elaborate scheme began between September 1 and 12 when 83-year-old Pattabi, a Virugambakkam resident, received a distressing WhatsApp call. The caller, posing as “Shankar,” an Inspector from the Mumbai Crime Branch, falsely accused Mr. Pattabi of illegal money transfers and possessing illicit funds in his bank account, threatening him with immediate arrest.
To “verify” the legitimacy of his savings, the scammer convinced Mr. Pattabi to temporarily transfer his entire life savings, including fixed deposits totaling ₹44 lakh, to a supposed “Reserve Bank” account. The caller promised the funds would be returned after verification. Trusting the elaborate deception, Mr. Pattabi made the transfer in two installments via RTGS.
However, when he attempted to contact the caller later, he was asked for even more money, at which point Mr. Pattabi realized he had been swindled. He promptly lodged a complaint with the Commissioner of Police, leading the Cyber Crime Wing to register a case and launch a thorough investigation.
The probe revealed that ₹40.35 lakh from Mr. Pattabi’s account was funneled into an IndusInd Bank account in Telangana. From there, the money was rapidly split and transferred across multiple accounts in various states before being withdrawn using cheques. Investigators also uncovered that the fraudsters were moving the stolen funds abroad on the very same day they were received.
Further tracking led authorities to ₹5.1 lakh credited from an account in Sholinghur, Ranipet district, and another ₹80 lakh moved through accounts linked to Lakshmanan (38) and Medi Sivakumar (41), both from Sholinghur. These two were arrested on October 10, and their fraudulent bank accounts were promptly frozen.
The investigation took another critical turn, identifying R. Ramachandramurthy (30), an Assistant Manager (Sales & Marketing) at a private bank’s Anna Salai branch in Dharmapuri. Ramachandramurthy was found to have facilitated the opening of numerous accounts used by the scammers to receive the illicit funds. Additionally, Mohammed Musfiq (20) of Ramanathapuram was identified as a money transfer agent for the operation. Both Ramachandramurthy and Musfiq were located and arrested in Chennai on Friday, October 26, 2025. Police confiscated two mobile phones and ten SIM cards linked to the crime. The authorities stated that the investigation is actively continuing to identify and apprehend other individuals involved in this extensive fraud.