Bhubaneswar witnessed a shocking case of cyber fraud when a retired NALCO officer and his wife, a retired lecturer, were confined to their home for nearly 35 hours under what criminals termed a “digital arrest.”
The incident occurred in the Nayapalli area, where fraudsters attempted to extort ₹1 crore from the couple.
The couple received a call from a man posing as a police officer, who claimed terrorists were misusing their Aadhaar cards. He threatened them with arrest and ordered them not to leave their house. Terrified, the couple complied. The fraudster demanded Rs 1 crore to “settle” the matter and avoid legal action.
The situation shifted when the couple went to the bank to transfer the money. They discovered the account provided was inactive. Realising they were victims of a scam, they approached the cyber police, preventing a major financial loss.
Authorities have urged citizens, especially senior citizens, to remain alert against such scams. Victims are advised to verify claims made over phone calls and immediately contact the cyber police if suspicious demands are made.
