Dr Preethi Sudhakar, wife of Karnataka BJP MP K Sudhakar, fell victim to a digital arrest scam, losing Rs 14 lakh. Bengaluru police acted swiftly during the “golden hour” to freeze the fraudulent bank account. Following a court order, the full amount was refunded to her within a week, highlighting the effectiveness of prompt action in cyber fraud recovery.
On August 26, Dr Preethi received a WhatsApp video call from fraudsters impersonating Mumbai Cyber Crime officials. The scammers falsely claimed her bank account was linked to illegal international transactions and warned that she would be arrested unless she transferred funds to a “verification” account. They assured her the money would be refunded within 45 minutes, prompting her to transfer Rs 14 lakh from her HDFC Bank account to an unknown Yes Bank account.
Realizing the fraud, she immediately contacted the West Division Cyber Crime Police Station. Acting quickly within the “golden hour,” Bengaluru police froze the fraudulent account and helped her register a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP 1930).
On September 3, the 47th ACJM Court ordered Yes Bank to release the frozen funds. The full amount was refunded to Dr Preethi’s account within a week. An FIR has been filed, and investigations are ongoing to trace the culprits.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Girish S and Assistant Commissioner (West CEN) Umarani S led the operation. Bengaluru police urged the public to act swiftly in similar digital arrest scam cases, emphasizing that quick reporting to NCRP 1930 significantly increases the chances of recovering lost money.
This incident underscores the importance of vigilance, awareness, and timely police intervention in combating cyber frauds in India.
