‘Virtual arrest’ horror: How Kochi woman was duped of ₹2.88 cr by fake judge and cops

Kochi: When a 59-year-old woman walked into the Mattancherry police station on September 5, she wasn’t there to lodge a complaint. Believing she had been accused in a money-laundering case, she thought she was completing the final step of a legal ordeal by collecting a ‘clearance certificate’ to prove her innocence. 

Only then did she realise the truth that for nearly two months, she had been trapped in a ‘virtual arrest’, which is a bogus concept meant to intimidate victims into believing they are under police detention. She had been controlled round-the-clock by fraudsters who dictated when she could step out, what she told her bank, and even when she could eat or sleep. 

By then, the woman, wife of a retired bank employee, had already lost ₹2.88 crore – most of it raised by pledging her gold – making it one of the most chilling cybercrime cases Kochi police have encountered in recent times. 

As the investigation deepens, Mattancherry police have already arrested a Maharashtra native in connection with the case. They have now traced around ₹61 lakh of the swindled money to an account in Delhi. A team of officers will soon travel to the national capital to track the account holder, amid suspicions that the fraud involves a wider interstate racket. 

According to police, the ordeal began in July when the complainant received a call from a man identifying himself as an officer from Tilak Nagar police station in Mumbai. He accused her of involvement in a money-laundering case linked to a major airline company, claiming authorities had found ₹2 crore in a suspicious account with a ₹25 lakh commission in her name. 

The caller placed her under what he termed ‘virtual arrest’. She was warned not to disclose the matter to anyone, not even her family or friends. They demanded her to pay money to be cleared of the case. 

What followed was a chilling psychological trap. She was subjected to a staged ‘virtual court’ hearing with a fake judge, policemen in uniforms, and even a witness. On video calls that ran for hours, the scammers decided when she could step out, when she could withdraw money, and even when she could sleep. 

“She said they had controlled her daily routines. When she went to the bank, they watched her on video and even dictated what she should say to the manager,” said a police officer. On one occasion, when the bank raised concerns over a sudden large withdrawal, she replied it was for a medical emergency, which was an explanation scripted by the fraudsters. 

Over two months, she made multiple transfers, pledged her gold, and even handed over an additional ₹62 lakh, bringing her total loss to ₹2.88 crore. The police also discovered that the victim’s money was routed through nearly 12 different accounts, making the trail complex. 

Mattancherry police arrested 50-year-old Santosh Rao and remanded him to judicial custody on Sunday. The police will seek his custody for interrogation. Investigators said he was uncooperative during questioning, making further custodial interrogation necessary. 

His account alone had received about ₹51 lakh, which was quickly transferred to other accounts. The police are probing whether he acted as a ‘money mule’, someone who allows their bank account to be used for receiving and diverting illegal funds, often for a commission.  Sources said Rao appeared financially well-off, with a two-storey house and cars, raising questions over whether he was merely a mule or had a larger role in the scam. 

Trauma beyond money 
For the police, what stands out is not just the financial loss but the degree of control exercised over the victim. “She was convinced the police were watching her every move. Even when she came to us, she did not believe she was scammed. She thought she was completing a legal process. She even video-called the scammers in front of us and when one of our policemen questioned the guys in uniform, they cut the call and disappeared. Then only she understood she was conned,” said a senior officer. The woman continues to struggle with the psychological trauma of being monitored and manipulated for weeks. Onmanorama tried to contact her, but she was not willing to speak.

The police admit that despite repeated awareness campaigns, victims continue to fall prey to such elaborate cons. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently cautioned the public, stressing that there is ‘no such thing as a virtual arrest’. Yet, scammers continue to exploit fear, authority, and technology to devastating effect. 

“People may wonder how someone could be fooled like this. But the scammers are persuasive, relentless, and psychologically manipulative. By the time victims realise the truth, they have lost everything,” said a senior officer.