An elderly doctor couple in Delhi is the latest victim of the digital arrest cyber fraud, spending two weeks falsely arrested, under constant supervision, and incurring a loss of Rs 14.85 crore.
Victims Dr Om Taneja and Dr Indira Taneja, who are residents of Delhi’s Greater Kailash, were placed under digital arrest for over two weeks by cybercriminals posing as law enforcement and regulatory officials from various government agencies.
The fraud is said to have taken place from December 24, 2025 to January 9, 2026, during which time the couple was coerced into transferring money to multiple bank accounts.
At noon on December 24, Dr Indira Taneja received a call claiming it was on behalf of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), and that her phone number would be disconnected due to her involvement in “obscene calls".
Further, the caller accused her of money laundering charges against which an FIR and arrest warrants had been issued in Maharashtra.
Dr Taneja stated that the 'Colaba Police' banners behind the impersonating police officer made the story believable.
“They connected me to a man in a police uniform on a video call,” she said. The man on call alleged that a Canara Bank account in her name was used in a major fraud, and since the couple had come from America, it was a matter of national security.
The doctor couple had returned from the United States and were residents of Greater Kailash since 2016. The scammers exploited their situation—knowing fully well that the couple’s children lived abroad, and that Dr Om Taneja was recovering from surgery—by threatening them with an immediate arrest unless a “digital verification” process was complied with.
Upon refusal to travel to Mumbai due to her husband’s surgery, the accused suggested an alternative to Dr Indira.
They said that they would keep verifying and checking in with the family, just like a bail verification process.
During the two-week period, the couple was forced to remain on continuous video and phone calls and was instructed not to contact anyone. Using these pressure tactics, the criminals coerced the doctors into transferring their life savings into multiple bank accounts.
Despite the couple's pleas about medical conditions and a lack of support, the criminals eventually forced them to give up Rs 14.85 crore.
The calls abruptly ceased on January 9, which led to the couple realising that they had been manipulated, after which they approached the Delhi Police and filed an e-FIR.
The Delhi Police has said that the investigation is ongoing, with efforts being made to track down the bank accounts and individuals involved in the scam.