Elderly Delhi Woman Duped of ₹6.9 Crore in ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam; Second Case in Days

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Cyber fraud cases are rising globally, and India has witnessed yet another alarming incident. A 70-year-old woman from South Delhi’s Greater Kailash was allegedly defrauded of ₹6.9 crore after cyber fraudsters kept her under a so-called “digital arrest” for over a week, police said on Thursday, January 15, 2026. This is the second such case reported from the area within days, underscoring a growing trend of cyber crimes targeting elderly residents.

The victim has been identified as Meenakshi Ahuja, a widowed homemaker and businesswoman who lives alone in a family-owned duplex in Greater Kailash. Her son is settled in Australia, while her daughter lives in Gurugram. According to police, the fraud began on January 5 when Ahuja received a call from a man posing as a law enforcement official, who claimed that a SIM card registered in her name had been used for money laundering and other illegal activities.

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From January 5 to January 13, the scammers kept Ahuja under continuous digital surveillance, monitoring her through video calls and instructing her not to contact anyone, including her family. During this period, they psychologically manipulated her by exploiting the fact that she lived alone and repeatedly threatening her with immediate arrest if she failed to comply.

Under intense pressure, Ahuja was coerced into transferring money from her savings and fixed deposits. Police said "She was made to carry out three transactions — ₹4 crore on January 9, followed by two subsequent transactions of ₹1.6 crore and ₹1.3 crore on January 12, through RTGS." The money amounted to a total of ₹6.9 crore.

After the first large transfer, bank officials grew suspicious and questioned her about the transaction. However, following the scammers’ instructions to maintain secrecy, Ahuja told bank staff that the money was being transferred to her daughter for a property-related transaction, police said.

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The fraud came to light after the scammers abruptly stopped contacting her following the final transfer. Realising she had been cheated, Ahuja approached the police, leading to the registration of an FIR on January 14. The case follows another major “digital arrest” scam reported from the same neighbourhood earlier this month, in which an elderly NRI doctor couple was allegedly duped of a large sum. No arrests have been made in either case so far.

Police said cyber fraud has emerged as one of the fastest-growing crimes in Delhi. In 2025 alone, residents of the capital lost over ₹1,250 crore to cyber scams, compared to ₹1,100 crore in 2024. However, officials noted that recovery rates have improved, increasing from around 10% in 2024 to 24% in 2025.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially senior citizens, to remain vigilant and remember that no law enforcement agency conducts investigations, arrests, or financial verifications over phone or video calls.

[VP]

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