Cybercrime Case in Soreng: Elderly Man Loses ₹10 Lakh in Digital Arrest Fraud

Sombaria Police Station has registered a cybercrime case after a 66-year-old man from Daramdin, Soreng district, was duped of ₹10 lakh in a ‘digital arrest’ scam. The case has been filed as Sombaria PS Case No. 09/2025 dated August 22, 2025, under Sections 308/318/319/351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Police reports state that the victim, Amber Bahadur Subba, received a call on August 12 from an individual impersonating a police officer. The caller falsely alleged that Subba’s Aadhaar number had been used to open a fraudulent bank account linked to illegal transactions and human trafficking in Uttar Pradesh. He was threatened with immediate arrest unless he transferred money to “clear his name.”

The fraudster initially demanded ₹30 lakh, later reducing it to ₹10 lakh. Under duress, Subba transferred the amount on August 14 to an SBI account in the name of Manpreet Kaur from Nathana, Punjab. The threats and extortion were carried out via WhatsApp messages and calls.

Following the complaint, police have traced the financial transaction trail and requested information from telecom service providers to identify the suspects. The case remains under investigation, with authorities urging citizens to remain vigilant against rising digital arrest scams across India.