(MENAFN- Live Mint) Actor Nagarjuna Akkineni has revealed that about six months ago, one of his family members was subjected to a "digital arrest " by fraudsters for two days.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar and other film personalities on Monday, Nagarjuna stated that the culprits quickly vanished once the police intervened.

He also stated that scammers, posing as government officials, coerced his family member into believing they were implicated in a legal case and forced them into the“digital arrest” trap.

"I remember that in my own house, about six months ago, the same thing happened. One of my family members was digitally arrested for two days. These fraudulent organisations track us and try to find our weaknesses," the actor said.

Nagarjuna commended the Hyderabad Cybercrime unit for their swift action and urged the people to be vigilant and report such calls immediately.

Sajjanar said that cybercriminals are increasingly targeting ordinary members of the public as well as celebrities' families, and emphasised the need for greater awareness to prevent such scams.

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₹32 crore in 'digital arrest' scam

A case has been registered in connection with a 57-year-old woman who allegedly lost around ₹32 crore in an elaborate 'digital arrest ' scam that lasted over six months - a fraud which is possibly the largest of its type in Karnataka, reported news agency PTI, citing the police.

Posing as CBI officials, the scammers enforced what is termed a "digital arrest" by holding her under constant Skype surveillance. They used threats of arrest to coerce her into sharing all her financial details and making 187 bank transfers.

In her complaint, the software engineer, Umarani, of Indiranagar in the city, revealed that the ordeal lasted for over six months, only ending when she received a 'clearance letter' from the fraudsters.

The incident began on 15 September 2024 with a call from a person claiming to be from DHL Andheri, who alleged that a parcel booked in her name contained credit cards, passports, and MDMA, and that her identity had been misused.

Before the woman could respond, the call was transferred to people posing as CBI officers. They threatened her, claiming "all evidence is stacked against you". The impostors cautioned her against contacting the police, suggesting that criminals were watching her home.

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Fearing for her family and her son's upcoming wedding, she remained silent. The woman was instructed to install two Skype IDs and remain on video. A man identifying himself as Mohit Handa monitored her for two days, followed by Rahul Yadav, who watched her for a week.

Another impersonator, Pradeep Singh, posed as a senior CBI officer and pressurised her to prove her innocence. The complainant further said that the group appeared to be aware of her phone activity and location, further intensifying her fear.

They told her to verify all her assets with the Financial Intelligence Unit of the RBI and produced forged letters to make it seem official.

From September 24 to October 22, Umarani shared details of her finances and transferred large sums. Between October 24 and November 3, she paid a supposed surety amount of ₹2 crore, followed by subsequent payments for "taxes."

She was promised a clearance letter before her son's engagement on December 6, and eventually received a fake one. The intense pressure left the woman mentally and physically unwell.

Ultimately, the victim received the genuine-looking clearance letter on December 1, allowing the engagement to proceed. However, she fell seriously ill afterwards, requiring a month of medical treatment to recover.

In December, the scammers demanded processing charges, repeatedly delaying refunds-first to February, then to March. All communication ceased on 26 March 2025. The complainant waited until after her son's wedding in June to come forward and make a formal complaint.

Digital arrest is a rapidly growing form of cybercrime in which scammers pose as law officials or government personnel, intimidating victims through audio or video calls, and effectively holding them captive to extort money.

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