A Gujarat-based scammer was arrested for orchestrating an elaborate deception, threatening an Odisha-based teacher couple with a false “digital arrest” and defrauding them of Rs 34.50 lakhs.
The fraudster, identified as Shishpal alias Subhash Baburam (31), hails from Chitarbora village, Phalodi district in Rajasthan. Berhampur police successfully apprehended him in Gujarat after securing court approval. Reports reveal that Shishpal was already imprisoned in Gujarat’s Bhoj district for a separate case before being transferred to Odisha for prosecution.
The digital arrest scam dates back to January 20, when an anonymous caller posing as a CBI officer reached out to the teacher couple from Kukudakhandi block, Odisha. The fraudster falsely claimed that the husband’s mobile number was linked to a financial fraud case registered in Maharashtra, amounting to Rs 2.38 crores. Additionally, he warned that an arrest warrant had been issued against him.
To substantiate the fraudulent claim, the criminals further engaged the couple through WhatsApp video calls, where impersonators posed as police officials and a Supreme Court judge, coercing them into compliance. They convinced the victims to transfer money into designated accounts under the pretence of resolving the fabricated legal allegations. Over three days, the couple transferred Rs 34.50 lakhs, only realising they had been deceived after failing to receive any confirmation of their funds’ return.
Following a formal complaint at the Cyber & Economic Offences Police Station in Berhampur, authorities launched an extensive investigation, tracing the money trail and the scam’s origin. With judicial permission, Shishpal was brought to Odisha and produced before the SDJM Court, Berhampur, where his bail application was rejected, leading to his transfer to Berhampur Circle Jail.
Police sources indicate that the investigation is ongoing, with leads pointing toward additional suspects involved in the operation.
Authorities continue efforts to recover the stolen amount while urging citizens to remain vigilant against digital fraud schemes and verify suspicious calls before taking action.
