Full Breakdown
Mumbai “Digital Arrest” Scam Leads to Six Arrests
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On September 17, Mumbai Cyber Police announced the arrest of six individuals—Tarik Momin, Rakesh Jain, Chintan Desai, Shakar Tyagi, G Gohel and Ajay Sharma—for allegedly defrauding a 68-year-old retired businessman from Dahisar of INR1.12 crore. The fraud used a “digital arrest” scheme that kept the victim under virtual confinement for nearly two weeks, forced location reports every two hours, and coerced him into liquidating fixed deposits and transferring the money to accounts controlled by the gang.
Background & Context
The perpetrators posed as Department of Telecommunications officials and later as a police officer named “Vijay Khanna,” claiming the victim’s Aadhaar was linked to a INR238 crore money-laundering case and that a Supreme Court notice had been issued. Indian law-enforcement agencies warn that no government body conducts arrests via video calls.
Key Figures & Groups
- Tarik Momin – alleged manager of mule bank accounts.
- Rakesh Jain – director of Abhay Dev Gold Private Limited, whose account received the stolen funds.
- Chintan Desai – transported a device with SIM cards from Mumbai to Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, where funds were withdrawn.
- Shakar Tyagi – operations manager at IndusInd Bank, supplied handsets for OTP receipt.
- G Gohel – IIT-Delhi-trained web developer previously booked in a 2021 cheating case, assisted with device access.
- Ajay Sharma – facilitated communication within the fraud network.
Timeline
- July 30 2026 – Victim receives the first WhatsApp video call from impersonators.
- August 12 2026 – Final video call; the victim has transferred the full INR1.12 crore.
- September 17 2026 – Police publicly identify and arrest the six suspects.
Data & Statistics
- Victim: 68-year-old retired businessman, Dahisar, Mumbai.
- Loss: INR1.12 crore transferred to multiple accounts.
- False case claim: INR238 crore money-laundering investigation.
- Devices recovered: two laptops, 20 mobile phones, ATM cards, passbooks and Aadhaar cards.
- Financial trail: Funds traced to the gold-trading firm’s account; SIM cards of two firm directors linked to the account and handled by Momin.
Official Statements & Responses
Senior inspector Pramod Kamble, inspector Sunil Lokhande, and DCP Bajrang Bansode led the investigation. They emphasized that the fraudsters used fake uniforms, documents with official logos and a fabricated Supreme Court notice to intimidate the victim. Police invoked sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act to charge the accused and issued a public advisory warning that no agency conducts arrests through video calls, urging anyone receiving such calls to contact the cybercrime helpline (1930) or file a complaint via the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
On-the-Ground Report
The fraud was uncovered when the victim’s daughter noticed unauthorized transfers and reported them to the cyber police. Her complaint triggered the North Cyber Police’s probe, which mapped the money flow and led to the arrests.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Name variations: Some outlets list the gold-trading firm director as Rakesh Jain, others as Rajesh Kumar Mohanlal Jain; both refer to the same individual.
- Web developer identity: Sources use G Gohel, Gaurav Mahesh Goyal, or Gaurav Mahesh Goyal; the official statement consistently identifies him as an IIT-Delhi graduate involved in the scheme.
What’s Next
Police have recovered electronic devices and documentation, and the investigation continues to examine additional transactions linked to the gold-trading firm and other mule accounts. No further arrests have been announced, and authorities remain vigilant for similar “digital arrest” scams.