Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday appealed to citizens not to respond to unknown video calls amid a surge in fraud cases linked to so-called “digital arrests,” emphasising that such arrests have no legal validity.
Cautioning people about cyber scams, Fadnavis said fraudsters operating from abroad are using local handler to make these “digital arrest” calls and cheat unsuspecting victims out of their hard-earned money. These scammers often impersonate officials from agencies such as the CBI, Customs, or the police during video calls and threaten individuals they target.
He advised people to immediately disconnect the call upon hearing the term “digital arrest.” Victims should promptly dial the 1930 helpline to lodge a complaint. Fadnavis stressed the importance of the “golden hour”, which is the first hour after a digital arrest fraud call, noting that complaints registered within this period have a strong likelihood of enabling authorities to recover the lost money, said the chief minister, who also holds the home portfolio.
Fadnavis was responding to a query raised by Abu Asim Azmi of the Samajwadi Party during Question Hour in the state legislative assembly. He reiterated that no law enforcement agency conducts arrests through video calls or demands money to resolve cases.
Highlighting the reach of such scams, Fadnavis said even highly educated individuals have fallen victim to digital arrest fraud due to a lack of awareness. “I know that even a retired IAS officer and a very senior retired naval officer have been victims of digital arrest fraud due to a lack of awareness,” said Fadnavis.
He also informed the House that Maharashtra has set up what he described as the country’s best cybercrime tracking facility, adding that several other states are modelling their cybersecurity centres on Maharashtra’s system.
Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam told the assembly that between 2025 and early 2026, Maharashtra recorded 145 major cybercrime cases involving fraud amounting to Rs 129 crore. He referred to a case in Ahilyanagar, formerly known as Ahmednagar district, where a victim lost Rs 87 lakh. Police were able to recover Rs 78 lakh as the complaint was filed during the golden hour.
Fadnavis explained that once a victim transfers money to the fraudsters’ account, it is quickly routed through eight to 10 different accounts across India and subsequently moved to more than 100 accounts overseas, often in countries with which India does not have treaties to pursue legal action or recover the money.
“People should just hang up suspicious calls and immediately report the call to the 1930 helpline,” urged Fadnavis.