Background and Timeline: The Panchkula Police Cyber Crime team reported a major breakthrough on Monday, January 26, 2026, with the arrest of two additional suspects in a high-value fraud case . The victim, an elderly woman from Chandigarh, was duped of ₹2.98 crore after an elaborate 24-hour psychological siege . These arrests on January 24 bring the total number of individuals apprehended in this specific case to three .
Modus Operandi: The scammers initially lured the victim by promising benefits under the Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan Yojana to gain access to her banking details . Subsequently, they impersonated CBI and telecom officials, claiming her phone was used for large-scale money laundering . To finalize the deception, they “produced” her before a fake courtroom during a video call on December 5, where fraudsters dressed in uniforms and judicial robes coerced her into transferring her savings .
Victims and Financial Impact: The elderly victim suffered a financial loss of ₹2.98 crore, which she transferred to multiple bank accounts under extreme duress . The scammers escalated the pressure by threatening the safety of her children to ensure her total compliance and silence . In a clever twist, they had previously transferred ₹7 lakh into her account to build trust and legitimize their role as “government investigators” .
Investigation and Agencies Involved: A team led by DCP Panchkula Himadri Kaushik and PSI Mahesh Kumar conducted the multi-state probe using technical transaction logs . Investigators followed the money trail from the victim’s account to a previously arrested suspect, Nitin Singhal, in East Delhi, who held ₹17 lakh of the defrauded sum . The police used technical analysis of the WhatsApp video calls to track the new suspects to their rented accommodation in Mohali .
Arrests and Suspects: Two suspects, Ajay and Ram, both natives of Mathura district in Uttar Pradesh, were arrested in Mohali and remanded to four days of police custody . They were responsible for the ground-level logistics and account management for the syndicate . Nitin Singhal, the first suspect arrested on January 15, is currently in judicial custody as the investigation expands to trace the remaining money trail .
Broader Implications and Trends: The case reveals the increasing use of “theatrical elements”—simulated courtrooms and government backdrops—to overwhelm the victim’s rational judgment . It highlights that Mathura remains a significant hub for ground-level cyber operatives who support transnational scam syndicates . Authorities have urged citizens to immediately report any video calls claiming to be from judicial or police agencies via the 1930 helpline .