‘Our Biggest Mistake Was…’: Delhi Elderly Couple Cheated of ₹15 Crore in 15-Day Digital Arrest Scam, Narrates Chilling Ordeal
An elderly NRI couple in Delhi fell victim to one of the most chilling cyber frauds in recent times, a so-called “digital arrest” that drained nearly ₹15 crore of their life savings. The accused posed as senior officials from TRAI and Mumbai Police, keeping the couple under intense psychological pressure for over 15 days.
He alleged that her phone number was being used to make obscene calls and that multiple complaints had been filed against her. When the person on the call mentioned a number, she said she told him that it was not hers.
"Despite that, he said arrest warrants were issued against me and an FIR was registered in Maharashtra," she said.
To deepen the fear, the scammer even showed her a photograph of a man allegedly involved in the case and asked if she knew him. She said she had never seen him before.
After the money was transferred, the scammers promised a refund through the Reserve Bank of India and even claimed their documents carried Supreme Court stamps.
Om Taneja described the fraudsters as “well-prepared” individuals who had detailed personal information about them. “They convinced us in such a way that, out of fear, we gave them all our information. There were three people involved in this,” he said.
The case is a stark reminder of how sophisticated and emotionally manipulative digital frauds have become, and why reporting suspicious calls early can make all the difference.
The victims and the loss
Indira Taneja (77) and her husband Om Taneja (81), residents of Greater Kailash-2, were allegedly cheated of ₹14.85 crore. Looking back, the couple says their biggest mistake was not approaching the police sooner. “We were told by the SHO (of Delhi Police) that we were put under (so-called) ‘digital arrest’. And that is when we realised what had happened,” Om Taneja said adding, "Not informing the police earlier was our biggest mistake."The first call that triggered panic
The ordeal began on December 24 when Indira received a call from a man claiming to be from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). She said, He told me that my telephone number was being disconnected because obscene calls were made from it and that 26 people had filed complaints."He alleged that her phone number was being used to make obscene calls and that multiple complaints had been filed against her. When the person on the call mentioned a number, she said she told him that it was not hers.
"Despite that, he said arrest warrants were issued against me and an FIR was registered in Maharashtra," she said.
A fake police officer on video call
Soon after, the call was “transferred” to Mumbai’s Colaba Police. On a video call, a man identifying himself as “Vikrant Singh Rajput” appeared in a police uniform, with official insignia visible in the background. He accused Indira of being involved in money laundering and claimed a Canara Bank account in her name was linked to a massive fraud.To deepen the fear, the scammer even showed her a photograph of a man allegedly involved in the case and asked if she knew him. She said she had never seen him before.
Fear, threats and isolation
The scammers told the couple that black money had been traced to their accounts and warned them not to speak to anyone, citing threats to their lives. They framed the case as a “national security issue,” claiming a ₹500 crore fraud and exploiting Indira’s return from the US as a patriotic angle to gain trust.‘Verification’ that emptied bank accounts
Under the guise of verification, the couple was asked to transfer money in phases, ₹2 crore, ₹2.1 crore, ₹2.5 crore, and more. The phone and video calls stayed active for most of the day, keeping them under constant surveillance. Indira says she was effectively “digitally arrested” from December 24 afternoon till January 9 morning.You may also like
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After the money was transferred, the scammers promised a refund through the Reserve Bank of India and even claimed their documents carried Supreme Court stamps.
When the spell finally broke
The illusion collapsed only when the couple approached the police. “I am very shocked. Thankfully, we went to the police station and learned that we had been defrauded. All the drama they did was very convincing. They said they would help us,” Indira said, still visibly shaken. Police later confirmed that the accused used fear, legal threats and continuous monitoring to control the victims and extract money via RTGS.Om Taneja described the fraudsters as “well-prepared” individuals who had detailed personal information about them. “They convinced us in such a way that, out of fear, we gave them all our information. There were three people involved in this,” he said.
What happens next
The couple contacted the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 and plans to file a detailed complaint with legal counsel. Delhi Police’s IFSO unit has already registered an FIR, and the case will be transferred to the Cyber Crime Unit for further investigation.The case is a stark reminder of how sophisticated and emotionally manipulative digital frauds have become, and why reporting suspicious calls early can make all the difference.
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