ED files prosecution complaint in Rs 2.95 crore 'digital arrest' cyber fraud case
The ED's Ahmedabad office has filed a prosecution complaint alleging that Rs 2.95 crore taken from two elderly victims in a 'digital arrest' scheme was laundered through mule accounts.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint before the Special PMLA Court in Ahmedabad in a "digital arrest" cyber fraud case, it said in a release dated 16 October 2026. According to the ED, two elderly victims lost Rs 1.15 crore and Rs 1.80 crore, a total of Rs 2.95 crore, to callers posing as CBI and police officers. A prosecution complaint is the ED's equivalent of a chargesheet under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
What Happened
The ED said its probe began from several FIRs registered by the Cyber Crime Police in Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Per the ED, the victims were threatened with false arrest and made to transfer money into bank accounts of M/s Quality Fruit Traders and M/s Shivam Charitable Trust, which the agency describes as mule accounts.
The ED alleges that the money was quickly moved through more than 50 mule accounts and withdrawn in small amounts of cash at places in India and Dubai. It said these accounts are linked to 396 pending cybercrime complaints on the I4C portal. According to the ED, the cash was also moved through Angadiya (informal courier) channels and used to buy cryptocurrency.
The agency further alleges that Rs 30 lakh was routed to a credit card that was issued in one person's name but used by another, and that the money was used to pay premiums on third-party insurance policies. The ED said it has already attached a flat in Surat worth about Rs 30 lakh and three fixed deposits worth Rs 8 lakh belonging to the accused. Further investigation is in progress, it said.
These are allegations, not findings of guilt; the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and due process continues.
What It Means
The case shows the pattern the ED describes in "digital arrest" calls: callers pose as officials, threaten arrest and push the victim to transfer money at once.
If you receive such a call, or have already lost money, report it at once at https://cybercrime.gov.in or on the helpline 1930.
This report describes enforcement actions and allegations on the public record, attributed to the officials cited. An order, FIR or chargesheet is not a conviction; parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Named in this report, or spotted an error? Corrections and responses: editor@oquilia.com. We correct errors promptly and record responses from named parties.
Sources & Citations
- Enforcement Directorate press release — Enforcement Directorate