Pune police have arrested social media influencer Rohan Jadhav for allegedly channelling over ₹10.74 crore siphoned off an elderly man in a 'digital arrest' scam. According to reports from NDTV, Jadhav surrendered in court after police froze all his bank accounts and financial assets. The fraud involves the manipulation of more than 5,400 bank accounts as part of the elaborate money laundering scheme.
The fraud dates back to January this year, when a gang of cyber criminals posing as Central Bureau of Investigation officers contacted a senior citizen and told him he was named in a criminal case. As reported by NDTV, threatening him with 'digital arrest' and legal action, the fraudsters coerced the victim into transferring ₹10.74 crore across multiple bank accounts. The victim approached police after realising he had been duped, leading to the initial investigation.
Investigators traced the money trail after one of the accused withdrew cash from an ATM, leading to the arrest of three men — Harshad Subhash Dhantole, Samarth Suresh Deshmukh and Amar Shivaji Attargi. During questioning, Dhantole told police he had handed over the withdrawn cash to Jadhav, who was then absconding. According to NDTV reports, police said Jadhav, originally from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, moved the entire defrauded amount through 5,436 different bank accounts.
The case involves investigators tracing links to handlers in Hong Kong, indicating an international dimension to the fraud operation. As reported by NDTV, the arrest represents a significant development in Pune's efforts to combat cyber fraud targeting elderly citizens. The case highlights the growing sophistication of digital fraud schemes and the complex money laundering networks they often involve.
