Maharashtra native arrested in Rs 14L digital arrest scam

Panaji: Goa police’s cybercrime cell arrested a man from Maharashtra in connection with a Rs 14 lakh digital arrest scam targeting a woman from Caranzalem.

Police said the accused allegedly posed as officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the directorate of enforcement (ED) to defraud the woman. Based on the woman’s complaint, the cybercrime cell registered an FIR and launched an investigation.

SP cybercrime Raju Raut Desai said the accused told the complainant that a SIM card allegedly issued in her name in Bengaluru, along with her Aadhaar and ATM card details, was linked to a human trafficking case.

The woman was allegedly told she was under “digital arrest” and was pressured into transferring Rs 14 lakh to settle the case. “The accused persons cheated the complainant by impersonation using computer resources,” Desai said.

Police traced the suspect to Satara in Maharashtra. The accused, identified as Yogesh Kantilal Shah, 45, was arrested. Police said investigations revealed that Rs 14 lakh was transferred to Shah’s bank account and later routed to multiple accounts linked to his associates. Further analysis showed that the same bank account was linked to other cyber fraud cases in West Bengal and Goa involving a total fraud amount of Rs 65 lakh, Desai said.

The accused was produced before the court, and police custody was obtained.